Shag threat
Sir: I was interested to read in the 13 September issue your quotation of a report of British Association proceedings of Sep.tember 1886.
Dr Michael Foster described the associa- tion of central colour vision defects with the smoking of single kinds of tobacco. More recently, this 'tobacco amblyopia' has been more specifically described and it is recorded that interference with colour perception is associated with the smoking of heavy shag tobacco. In some way, this habit interferes with the proper metabol- ism of part of the vitamin B complex. Hence the literature states that the condi- tion is unknown in women.
However, I have seen a case in a female who 'rolled her own' from a particularly heavy brand of tobacco.
William Waller
Consultant Ophthalmologist, 12 Moyleen Rise, Marlow, Buckinghamshire
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