GALACTOSEMIA IN AN INFANT WITH CATARACTS

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Abstract
Among the unusual anomalies of carbohydrate metabolism, the inability to metabolize galactose normally is outstanding because of its serious effects on various structures and functions of the organism. In infants with this anomaly who consume lactose regularly with their milk, high levels of galactose are noted in the blood and galactose is excreted in the urine. Profound nutritional and developmental disturbances, enlargement of the liver and albuminuria accompany this galactosemia. Most of the signs and symptoms disappear when milk is omitted from the diet. The basic disturbance is considered to be localized in the liver; the enlargement and consistency of this organ suggest the presence of a pathologic process in the hepatic tissue. The nature of the pathologic process, the pathogenesis of the disease and the mechanism by which the noxious effects are produced have been intriguing problems to every observer of the disease. We have recently observed a case