BY E. W. IPwELAXD. M.B., CM. 075 



If this theory of skin disease causation, it should 

 be possible thus to cope with such a malignant affection 

 as pehphigus foliacus, which not only appears on a skin 

 surface, but sometimes on the pharyngeal mucous mem- 

 brane. 



Chronic eczema is dependent, to a great extent, on a 

 general toxemia of some kind. Its relationship to asthma, 

 Bright's disease, etc., is well known. It is in some cases 

 affected by injections of staphylococcic vaccine, and pro- 

 bably would respond rapidly to an autogenous blood 

 vaccine. i\lopecia areata is probably the result of 

 a neuritis caused by blood organisms. The presence of 

 organismal growth in the blood in various illnesses is well 

 recognised to-day. Tubercle bacilli, gonococci, pneu- 

 mococci, streptococci, bacilli anthracis have been 

 demonstrated, and very many tropical diseases have been 

 proved to be due to the presence of haematozoa in 

 the blood corpuscles and blood-forming glands. The 

 blood, therefore, is not the aseptic stream formerly 

 supposed. It will soon be recognised, I am sure, that in 

 city dwellers, at all events, cocci and bacilli — particularly 

 the bacilli colon — can be seen in this blood, and that most 

 anaemias and neurasthenias are due to loss of resistance 

 to these organisms. 



The effect of treatment on skin/Iiseases can be seen 

 and appreciated, and certainly an autogenous blood 

 vaccine has given most promising results. 



