Observations on the various forms of superficial dermatitis : particularly erythema, eczema, psoriasis, lichen, and pityriasis rubra with cases / by P.H. Pye-Smith.

  • Pye-Smith, Philip Henry, 1840-1914.
Date:
[1881?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the various forms of superficial dermatitis : particularly erythema, eczema, psoriasis, lichen, and pityriasis rubra with cases / by P.H. Pye-Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    How Hebra can have made so little of the abundant desqua- mation can only, I think, be explained by the effects of his treatment: lukewarm baths continued for hours and the use of softening ointments, “ verursachten insoferne eine Yeraender- ung, weil dadurch die Epidermismassen (so the Schuppenbil- dung must have been considerable) transparenter und die Haut geschmiediger wurde/’ In 1861 Dr. Wilks described, in the seventh volume of the present series of these f Reports/ a case of “ General Dermatitis,” acute, universal, red, dry, and scaly, the desqua- mation being very abundant and including the finger- and toe- nails. It lasted two months, and ended in complete recovery. In 1867 Mr. Erasmus Wilson described three cases, which he identified with the Pityriasis rubra of Hebra, and proposed the names Eczema foliaceum, Pityriasis foliacea, or Pityriasis foliacea rubra. The second case, termed Psoriasis squamosa rubra (psoriasis in Mr. Wilson’s language meaning at that time dry scaly eczema), occurred in an old lady of 71 ; it was confined to the hands, and might be fairly regarded as obstinate eczema manuum.1 But the other two cases, both in old men, are typical cases of Pityriasis rubra, in their universality, redness, dryness, and profuse desquamation, as well as in the uniformity of the lesion, and the absence of severe irritation and constitu- tional disturbance. One of these patients died of an attack of bronchitis, the other lived to recover of his disease. Hebra did not admit that Mr. Wilson’s cases were Pityriasis rubra in his sense of the word. The chief points of difference are in the scanty desquamation and the ill end of the three cases observed in Vienna. Dr. Hans von Hebra has, however, since published three cases (1876), which were presumably 1 The obstinacy of the disease is attested and possibly explained by the follow- ing list of remedies given without success during ten months—An arsenical course of three months ; a course of Donovan’s solution for three weeks ; bichlo- ride of mercury for one month ; nitro-muriatic acid with a bitter j small doses of sulphate of magnesia with quinine, with nitrate of potash, and with colchicum; iodide of potassium with colchicum; citrate of iron and quinine; liquor cinchonas with ammonia and with sulphuric acid ; gentian with soda ; and various remedies besides. Meantime were applied locally oxide and chloride of zinc, acetate of lead, ammonio-chloride, nitrate, and nitric oxide of mercury, sulphur, iodide, carbolic acid, and tar.