[Idiopathic Addison's disease]

Two cases of idiopathic Addison's disease affecting heterozygous twins who died from addisonian crisis at the ages of 7 and 10 years, are described, including descriptions of histologic findings in the adrenals, thymus, hypophysis, kidneys, esophagus, upper respiratory tract, and other viscera. The authors believe that autoimmunization in children with idiopathic Addison's disease develops in the presence of congenitally defective immunity and propose that activation of the juxtaglomerular complex and hypergranulation of interstitial cells in the inner renal medulla may be used as morphologic criteria in the diagnosis of addisonian crisis.