Scheme for obtaining a better knowledge of the endemic skin diseases of India / prepared by Tilbury Fox and T. Farquhar.

  • Fox, Tilbury, 1836-1879.
Date:
1872
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Scheme for obtaining a better knowledge of the endemic skin diseases of India / prepared by Tilbury Fox and T. Farquhar. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    g. The dress of the attacked, especially with regard to the exposed or un- exposed nature of the seats of disease. [It is an interesting question, for example, to determine whether the diseases of the scalp are more frequently developed in races that cut short their hair and shave their head, or among those who keep their hair long. Many of the Hindoos shave all or the most of their scalp, head, arm-pits, &c. The Mahoramedans, as the rule, cut the hair close. The whole vSeikh race never allows a razor or scissors to touch a hair. Many millions of Indians go about bareheaded; others wear only skull caps ; others wear great masses of cloth like table-cloths on their heads. Tiie influence of these practices on disease it is important to know.] h. The observed differences between diseases as seen in the darker races of the East and in Europeans, and the differences in the same disease as observed in India and in Europe. J. The connexion between season and disease. [Where the variety of climate is so great as in India, the observation of this point might lead to important results.] The following are the diseases to which it is thought desirable that attention should be directed:— 1. Morphcea. 2. Scleroderma. 3. FramboBsia. 4. Delhi sore. 5. Keloid. 6. Fibroma. 7- The Elephant leg, or Elephantiasis Arabum, or tropical big leg. 8. The Fungus foot of India, or Madura foot. 9. The true Leprosy, or Elephantiasis Graecorua]. 10. Leucoderma. 11. Pityriasis vesicolor in unusual forms. 12. Burmese ringworm. 13. Malabar itch. 14. Lichen tropicus, or prickly heat. N.B.—The information which is particularly asked for, is essentially such as is precise. Mere general statements or replies to questions of a wide and general character are specially undesired. Special forms for note-taking and for tabulating cases are given with the accounts of certain of the diseases. When sufficient data have been collected a special summary report will be made on the whole subject. Each observer will have full credit given him for any contri- bution he may furnish towards the report. Morbid specimens properly preserved, if sent home, would be thoroughly investi- gated and the results embodied in any report made. Representations of diseases in the way of photographs, sketches, and coloured drawings will be very useful. MORPHCEA. This disease is in all probability of pretty frequent occurrence in the East, though mostly unrecognised. It is not unlikely that it is confounded with other affections of a similar nature, leucoderma to wit. There are no data in our possession at the present time to show that the disease is either rare or common in India; but a priori considerations, especially the asserted alliance of the disease with and the similarity of certain of its characters to leprosy, w'ould lead one to expect that it will be found to be of not infrequent occurrence in that country. Use and relation of the term Morphcea.—Morphcea signifies form. It is in reality the same disease as that described by Dr. Addison as Keloid, as in fact Addison's Keloid, a disease wholly diflerent from the Keloid of Alibert. It is most unfor- tunate that Dr. Addison should have employed the term Keloid to describe it, and that certain writers should have continued to the present time to designate it as ^' Addison's Keloid. The latter term is now appropriated by general consent to A .3