404] 
frequent, peetlta sly) claim the at- 
tention of the practical physician ; 
while morbid affections which ap- 
pear more rarely, and present ur- 
usual .phenomena, more especially 
attraét the inquiries ‘of those whose 
object is the extension of general 
science. The disease termed Plica 
Polonica is of the latter class. It is 
endemic in Poland; and seldom, 
if ever, observed in any other part 
of Europe. During a long stay 
at Breslau in Silesia, a had frequent 
opportunities of observing this dis- 
ease, and, as it is at present little 
-known in Britain, 1 trust a brief 
narration of the principal circum. 
stances connected with it will not 
prove uninteresting. 
Both sexes are “equally liable to 
the attacks of Plica. It usually 
appears during infancy; and but sel- 
dom after the age of twenty. When 
once produced, it continues during 
the remainder of life. The ac. 
cession of the complaint is in ge- 
neral preceded by irregular  spas- 
-modic affections, pains in differ- 
-ent parts of the body, a slow fever, 
und various diseases of the eyes ; 
all which cease immediately on the 
appearance of the Plica.. 
The disorder consists in a preter- 
natural rapid growth of the hair, 
with a copious secretion of a viscid 
matter from its bulbs. For the 
most part, the hairs of the head 
are alone affected ; and that only 
in peculiar parts. In these, the 
hairs grow considerably longer than 
an the rest; and are knotted and ° 
entangled with each other ; being 
alsocovered with the viscid matter 
which issues from their roots, and 
which assists in gluing them to- 
gether. \ 
In proportion as the quantity of 
Se 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1796, 
this gluten, and the implication of 
the hair increases, it is still’ more 
and more dificult to clean. and 
comb it; hence a degree of phthi- 
riasis is produced, and the head 
contraéts an extremely foetid smell, 
to which however the Polish pea- 
sants are so much accustomed, 
that they endure it withou teens: 
plaint, or any manifest inconvenis 
ence, 
It is also an opinion universally 
prevalent with them, that the dis- 
ease is a salutary effort of nature to 
expel a morbid matter from the 
body; and that to interrupt the 
course of it would be produttive of 
imminent danger ; hence they make 
nO attempt to cure, or even palliate 
the complaint. And if we may 
repose confidence in authors of 
established reputation, morbid af. 
fections of a- similar nature to 
those which precede ‘its occur- 
rence, paralysis, and even death 
aéaalty have succeeded imprudent 
attempts to check the progress 
of the disease. In this respect, 
Plica bears some analogy to the 
exanthemata, and various chronic 
cutancous erupt ions, = 
I am as yet unable to. decide 
whether this complaint is heredi- 
tary or not. From some observa- 
tions indeed it appears, that a pres 
disposition to it may be transmitted 
from parents to. their offspring 4 
but my information on this head is 
too limited to ascertain the point. 
In one case which fell under my own 
observation, two brothers had Plica, 
both on the Jeft side of the head, 
and in abeut one third of their 
hairs: J Jearned from them, that 
their father and grandfather had 
also been affeted with the disease 
in a form exa¢tly similar. 
Besides 
