A practical compendium of the diseases of the skin, including a particular consideration of the more frequent and intractable forms of these affections; with cases / By Jonathan Green.

  • Green, Jonathan, 1788?-1864.
Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A practical compendium of the diseases of the skin, including a particular consideration of the more frequent and intractable forms of these affections; with cases / By Jonathan Green. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    171/264 (page 159)
    Pityriasis is distinguished from the other two principal forms of squamous disease by the smaller size and more irregular form of its scaly spots, as well as by their being level with the surface of the skin; it also differs essentially from both of these in the inferior dimensions and more flimsy texture of its squamae. A host of dif¬ ferent cutaneous diseases are accompanied in their decline by a fur- furaceous desquamation of the cuticle very similar in its general characters to that which characterises pityriasis. The antecedence of the various and diversified elementary forms of these affections, as of vesicles, papulae, dec. and frequently other products of their existence, such as discharges, scabs, incrustations, (fee. will always serve to distinguish these from the particular disease of which we are treating. Ephelis, lentigo, chloasma, and the rest of the dis- chroa, are distinguished from pityriasis by the absence of proper furfuraceous and often of all desquamation from the surfaces affected. The scurf that frequently covers the upper and fore parts of the head in young children, is a different affection from pityriasis: it rather consists of a kind of sebaceous incrustation, than of a desquamation of the cuticle consequent on a superficial inflammation of the dermis ; and when softened by the application of a bread and water poultice, or of a rag wrung out of warm water, and removed by means of a fine comb, is not in general reproduced if cleanliness be duly attended to subsequently. The treatment of pityriasis is to be conducted on the same general principles as other cutaneous diseases essentially inflammatory in their nature. Pityriasis capitis is so slight a disease, that it is often allowed to take its own course; and the hair being kept of moderate length, and regularly brushed with a softish rather than a very hard brush, it very generally comes to an end within a few weeks or months. The cure may be accelerated by the occasional use of a very weak alkaline wash. When the disease spreads extensively over the person, it is de¬ serving of a greater degree of attention. A gentle course of aperients is frequently recommended in these circumstances; the habitual use of a light bitter infusion with moderate doses of the sub-carbo¬ nate of potash, combined with frequent immersion in the tepid bath, has also been advocated, and is said frequently to cure the disease. I have, however, known it much more frequently resist than yield to these and various other more energetic plans of treatment. I have for example, known the disease of from fifteen to twenty years’ standing, yield to a course of corrosive sublimate in gradually in¬ creased doses, having resisted every other medicine and method of cure enforced. In another inveterate case I have known this active preparation fail to produce the slightest benefit. I am happy to say, however, that I have never known one instance of pityriasis (and I have had cases under my care of thirty years’ standing) which resisted a few exposures to the sulphur fume bath. I am in the habit, consequently, after prescribing a gentle aperient for a few days, to commence the use of this powerful remedial agent with as little delay as possible, and hitherto with complete success.