Shock in Bantu Siderosis

Abstract

This paper describes five patients who had Bantu siderosis and who suffered shock, for which there was no obvious cause, shortly before death. It is considered that the condition is closely analogous to that occurring in idiopathic hemochromatosis. The theory that the shock is caused by extremely high serum iron levels is examined and considered to be inadequate. An alternative theory that the shock is septic in nature and results, in part at least, from enhancement of the virulence of enteric organisms by iron present in large amounts in patients with Bantu siderosis and idiopathic hemochromatosis is suggested.