Abstract
1. Pink Disease is a new symptom -complex chiefly seen
in babies of from three to eighteen months. Ten
personally observed cases are recorded in detail.
2. The symptoms are characterised by -
(a) a condition of extreme misery, insomnia,
irritation, sweating and photophobia;
(b) skin rashes with erythroedema of the hands
and feet;
(c) extreme muscular hypotonia.
3. The condition is probably of an infective nature,
and may be due to a neurotropic virus akin to
that of epidemic encephalitis. The mesencephalic
centres of the sympathetic nervous system are
affected, and changes also occur in the spinal
cord and peripheral nerves. The cerebral cortex
appears to escape involvement in the great
majority of cases.
4. The mortality is by no means low, and has been
placed as high as 30 per cent by some writers.
Death is usually due to secondary infections,
but may occur suddenly and unexpectedly.
5. The main necessity in treatment is skilled nursing.
