The successful treatment of leprosy by P.G. Unna / with notes by J.L. Milton.

  • Milton, J. L. (John Laws), 1820-1898.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The successful treatment of leprosy by P.G. Unna / with notes by J.L. Milton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    gentlemen who recount the potent virtues of chaoul-moogra and gurghun oils, and of those who, according to the report of the College of Physicians, cure leprosy in six weeks, not having apparently penetrated so far as these northern regions. Some histological facts which he had observed, but which however he does not particularize, having led the author of the communication to conclude that the bacillus of leprosy cannot exist without oxygen, requires indeed an ample supply of it, he resolved to begin with frictions intended to cut off the access of air. The substances employed for this purpose were chrysarobin, pyrogallic acid, resorcinand fish-oil paste; all in the form of ointment lo p.c. strength. These ointments were rubbed in daily on different parts of the body, each part however being subjected to the operation of one remedy exclusively. The pyrogallic acid was soon abandoned, as it was found to irritate the skin seriously and even set up vesication ; the chrysophanic acid did not appear to do much good, and the ichthyol and resorcin preparations were too weak. The two first were accordingly given up and the formula for the resorcin was exchanged for one of 20 p.c, while the ichthyol ointment was raised to a strength of equal parts of the oil-salt and diluting material. Unna does not say that the first trials were a failure, but his silence as to any improvement and the immediate change to a differerit method are significant enough with respect to his view of the results. Judging, however, by my own experience, I feel on the other hand strongly disposed to conclude that they were really of great service, indeed laid the foundation of the cure, there being in its way no greater mistake than to imagine that the curative effects of remedies for diseases