[Morphological findings in the rabbit cornea after tear gas cauterization (author's transl)].

Solutions of various concentrations of chloracetophenone (dissolved in 1, 1, 1, trichlorethane) were trickled on the corneas of rabbits. The substance was either applied to the center or to the limbus, or simultaneously to the center and limbus of the cornea. After surgical removal of the cornea on day 21, the alterations were examined by a light microscope. When chloractephenone was applied to the middle of the cornea, signs of intensified epithelial regeneration were observed, even to the point of a severe granulating and necrotic infection with ulceration. The severity of these changes depended on the concentration used and showed that repair of a corneal defect had been attempted. The same changes were observed when the same concentrations of chloracetophenone were applied to the limbus, but with greater severity. Some of these alterations led to perforation of the cornea when the substance was applied to center and limbus. These results are discussed in reference to the correlation of the changes seen in animal tests to those in the human eye.