The cyclopaedia of practical medicine: comprising treatises on the nature and treatment of diseases, materia medica and therapeutics, medical jurisprudence, etc., etc (Volume 2).
- Date:
- 1849-59
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The cyclopaedia of practical medicine: comprising treatises on the nature and treatment of diseases, materia medica and therapeutics, medical jurisprudence, etc., etc (Volume 2). Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![[EYE, DISEASES OF THE. (See Amau- Bosis, Ophthalmia, &c.) FARCY. (See Glandehs.)] FAVUS. The pustules termed favi are so named from the character of the crusts by which they are succeeded ; these being cellular, and fan- cifully compared to an irregular Konty-comb. The term favus, however, was differently employed by the ancients : Galen apphed it to ulcers which exude, through small orifices, a matter resembling honey in consistence: Celsus regarded it as synonymous with miliary. Favi, in the modern acceptation of the word, are small, yellow, irregu- larly circular pustules, nearly flat — at least, not accuminated; and, according to Biett, always de- pressed in the centre. Their base is slightly in- flamed ; they generally appear in circular patches or clusters ; are atten-ded with itching, and fre- quently with glandular swellings from absorption of the matter. These pustules are succeeded, after some days, by a thick yellow, nearly semi- pellucid, somewhat cellular, augmenting crust or scab; at which time they frequently exhale a very offensive, nauseating odour, not unlike that of the urine of a cat. As the crusts dry, they become white, and easily detached. The seat of favi is most commonly the scalp, in the epidermal layer which covers the papillae of the true skin. As they most commonly occur on parts covered with hairs. Dr. Duncan advanced an opinion that the disease is in the bulb of the hairs, which are indeed easily detached, and display a swelling at the base. Biett accords with this opinion ; but Rayer dissents from it, and sup- ports the view which we have adopted. Favi generally occur during childhood ; they seldom affect the general health, although, when they appear during the period of dentition, they seem to be in a great degree connected with the disordered state of the digestive organs which more or less attends that period, and the increased irritability of the habit. They occasionally, how- ever, appear in adults, on the neck, ears, and occiput: in these cases they are always preceded by some degree of constitutional derangement; headach, an uneasy state of stomach, loss of appe- tite, irregular bowels, and fever: the inflammation surrounding the pustules is more extensive, and the crusts are thicker and harder than in child- hood. Alibert affirms that cooks are very liable to eruptions of favi. They are chiefly known as the distinctive feature of one species of porrigo,— P. favosa; under the head of which we shall have again to direct the attention of our readers to their characters. Biett (Abrege pratique des Maladies de la Peau, par MM. Cazemene et Schedel, p. 231,) supposes that minute pustules of porrigo scutulata, which appear in circular patches, are favi, differing only in their arrange- ment and some little variation in the state of the crusts; but as far as we are enabled to form an opinion by the appearances which they present, when viewed with a powerful magnifier, the opinion of Bateman, (Synopsis, edit. 7th, p. 138,) who regards them as achores, is coiTect. Rayer (Traite theorique et pratique des Maladies de la Peau, par P. Rayer, vol. i. p. 520,) considers both the pustules and crusts intrinsically different from those of porrigo favosa. As we shall have again to detail the treatment of favi under the article porrigo favosa, we have only to mention, at this time, that it consists iu correcting the irritable state of the stomach, and in not permitting crude undigested matters to remain in the alimentary canal. This is best effected by moderate doses of hydrargyrum cum creta, combined with antimonials, administered at bed-time ; and alkaline salts, particularly sub- carbonate of soda, in combination with calumba, or cascarilla, or cinchona bark in powder, given twice or three times a day. It was the opinion of ^tius and other old writers, that danger attended the repulsion of favi: modern practitioners, re- gardless of this, employ a variety of external ap- plications ; but these are general mild stimulants, intended rather to restore the healthy action of the skin, after the crusts have been removed by poultices, than to repel. They consist of oint- ments composed with the oxides of zinc, acetate of lead, and tar with sulphur; and the ointment of nitrated mercury largely diluted with simple cerate. When there is much itching or pain, the writer of this article has seen great benefit derived from the following lotion, applied in a tepid statf*, in the form of a poultice. R. Liquoris plumbi subacetatis, f.^iss. Acidi hydrocyanici, f.^ii. Aqute destillatse, f-Jvi. M. Fiat lotio. Cleanliness, exercise in the open air, and the stimulus of soap and hot water, are great aids to every method of treatment. Much depends on diet, which should be apportioned both in quan- tity and quality to the powers of the stomach and the general strength of the patient. If the patient is weak, which is generally the case, the food should be nutritive, but not stimulant; we have found nothing answer better than milk, with a moderate allowance of plainly cooked mutton or poultry once a day. Wines and all kinds of fer- mented liquor ai^ injurious. Favi appearing under the form of porrigo favosa are contagious ; and it is probable that they are equally so when they suddenly appear as sympto- matic of derangements of the stomach and chylo- poietic viscera; but we have seen no positive de- monstration of their contagious nature under these circumstances. ^_ -p_ THOMSON. FEIGNED DISEASES. It is our intention to notice under this head all that class of alleged corporeal disabilities which are either pretended or intentionally induced. In strictness of classifica- tion, cases of this kind should be arranged in four groups :— 1. Feigned diseases, strictly so called, or those which are altogether fictitious. 2. Exaggerated diseases, or those which, exist- ing in some degree or form, are pretended by the patient to exist in a greater degree or different form. 3. Factitious diseases, or those which are wholly produced by the patient, or with his con- currence. 4. Aggravated diseases, or those which, origi- nating in the first instance without the patient's concurrence, are intentionally increased by artifi cial means. It is not, however, our intention to adopt tn'.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21116817_0125.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
