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Tuberculous dactylitis - historic case from 1940

Case contributed by Northumberland Archives
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Left foot: swelling over lateral malleolus, not currently discharging, had been previously. Swelling over 4th toe, discharging sinus at base. Right hand: swelling of the 5th metacarpal.

Patient Data

Age: 16 years
Gender: Male

Plain radiographs of the right hand and left foot revealed:

  • dactylitis of 4th left toe

  • dactylitis of the 5th right metacarpal

Case Discussion

This case study is taken from a large collection of archival records of Stannington Tuberculosis Sanatorium, the UK's first purpose-built children's TB sanatorium. This is just one of many examples from the collection.

The patient was admitted to the sanatorium in September 1940. 7 months earlier the left ankle became swollen and began to discharge from 4th left toe. The patient had hurt his right hand 1 year previously which then became swollen.  The rest of his family were all well and there was no family history of TB.

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