This thesis has been undertaken with the object
of investigating the various types of temperature met
with in cases of Lymphadenoma, or Hodgkin's Disease.
At the outset the question may well be asked,
"What is Hodgkin's disease?" In the past so much confusion
has arisen over the terms Lymphadenoma, Lymphosarcoma,
Malignant Lymphoma, Pseudo- Leukaemia, etc.
that I feel it is necessary before entering upon a
discussion of a disease of such obscure origin to
define what is meant by the term "Lymphadenoma".
The best definition that I have been able to find
is that given by Gowers in Reynold's System of Medicine
in 1879.
"An affection characterised by a widely spread
enlargement of the lymphatic glands, commonly also by
an enlargement of the spleen and by progressive armada..
The enlargement of the glands and spleen is due to the
growth in them of adenoid tissue having a tendency to
undergo a fibroid transformation, and in the spleen to
be localised in isolated masses. In many cases disseminated growths of similar structure occur in other
organs, especially the intestinal canal, the liver,
and the kidneys. The blood presents invariably a
diminution in the number of red blood corpuscles,
occasionally an increase in the white corpuscles,
usually inconsiderable".
Before passim; or to the subject of this thesis I
should like to state in reference to the much discussed
relationships of Tuberculosis to Lymphadenoma
that my views are entirely in accordance with the conclusions
arrived at by Butlin (trans.Path.Soc.Lond.,
Vol.LIII, 1902, p.297), namely, that Lymphadenoma is
certainly not tubercle, but that it does not exclude
tubercle or render a patient in the least degree
immune to an attack of tubercle.
For convenience the thesis presented has been
divided into four sections.
SECTION I.
Case of Lymphadenoma illustrating a relapsing
type of temperature with periodic variations in the
size of the spleen and lymphatic glands corresponding
to the variations in the temperature.
SECTION II.
A review of the literature on the subject of
relapsing temperatures in lymphadenoma.
SECTION III.
Other cases of Lymphadenoma showing various
types of temperature.
SECTION IV.
Conclusions.
All the cases of Lymphadenoma, investigated have
been under observation at Paddirngton Green Children's
Hospital, London.
