Diseases of the skin : their description, pathology, diagnosis, and treatment / by H. Radcliffe Crocker.

  • Crocker, H. Radcliffe (Henry Radcliffe), 1845-1909.
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Diseases of the skin : their description, pathology, diagnosis, and treatment / by H. Radcliffe Crocker. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    known. Various sweat eruptions are seen in those exposed to heat and moisture, as in pianoforte-makers. Clothing may be unsuitable, either in make or material, e.g., badly-made boots produce corns or blisters ; tight bands produce chafing or excoriations ; dyed stockings often excite papular and eczematous eruptions; flannel excites pruritus in some skins, and if worn too long without washing favours the development of tinea versicolor and lichen circinatus. Uncleanliness is a favouring rather than an exciting cause of cutaneous disease, especially for parasites, both vegetable and animal. On the other hand, the constant stimulation of the skin by the too frequent use of soap, especially if not carefully made, is liable to excite eczematous eruptions. Washing without great care in drying is a frequent cause of chapping, and vapour baths may excite miliaria. Where eczema exists it is always aggra- vated by water. Food, improper in quality or quantity, is an important factor in the production of a large number of diseases. It may do this, if inadequate in quantity or quality, by lowering nutrition generally, or by its directly irritating effects on the gastro-intestinal mucous membranes. Or it may be of a quality which promotes fermenta- tion in the alimentary substances in the stomach. As examples, may be given the use of starchy food in young infants, which often remains undigested, and acts injuriously, both by lowering nutrition and acting as an irritant; the effect of taking food containing branny particles, such as brown bread, oatmeal, etc., on eczematous and urticarial patients ; and the influence of beer, pastry, etc., in exciting fermentation. More direct, is the gastric irritation pro- duced by shell fish, especially mussels, which excite violent urticaria in some people. Then again certain diseases are ascribed to food, as pellagra to the consumption of decomposed maize, leprosy to decomposed fish, but this last is not generally accepted. Medicines.—Many drugs produce erythematous and urticarial eruptions when taken internally, which are referred to in detail in the section on drug eruptions; and a few, like iodine and bromine, produce eruptions of a special character. Irritants.—Many drugs and other substances, when brought into contact with the skin, excite inflammation in it. Cantharides, turpentine, mustard, croton oil, and arnica may be cited as examples.