German measles

Abstract

In 1941, the astute observations of an Australian ophthalmologist, Dr Gregg, were to change the whole concept of German measles In that year, he reported 'an unusual number of congenital cataracts made their appearance in Sydney'. He recognized that these cataracts were different from the inherited variety and he also noted that many of them were also suffering from congenital heart diseases, and that these cases were seen all over Australia in that year. This set his mind thinking as to why there was suddenly an 'epidemic' of newborn babies affected with cataracts and holes in the heart. He studied the case histories of 78 babies so affected and found that 68 of their mothers had come down with German measles the previous year.