CH&<PTE<R XII. 

 DISEASES OF THE SKIN. 



ECZEM&. 



Eczema is a disease of the skin which first appears either as minute 

 blisters, pimples, or small elevations covering pus; these three forms may 

 more conveniently he designated the vesicular, papular, or pustular. The 

 first is the more common form, and the vesicles are minute, transparent, 

 and glistening ; slightly elevated, and pressed together in irregular patches 

 with little or no redness between. The fluid in the vesicles soon becomes 

 gummy and cloudy ; it may be absorbed but is more commonly discharged ; 

 adheres to the surface, dries rapidly, and forms crusts beneath which is 

 the beginning of the disease. 



The skin becomes reddened, moist, and swollen. Successive crops of 

 vesicles form, the discharge from which is a constant source of inflamma- 

 tion, and the disease spreads showing different stages in different parts. 

 The progress of the pustules is identical with that of the vesicles. 



When the disease appears in the form of papules, they either change 

 into vesicles and run the course described, or they dry into scales and 

 crusts. 



Eczema rubrum, eczema squamosum, and other terms are used to desig- 

 nate certain forms of the disease belonging to the subsequent stages. In 

 the first the skin is reddened and inflamed in patches covered with shining 

 vesicles; in the latter the eruption is dry and scaly. 



Pityriasis rubra is a form of eczema rarely met with. It is characterized 

 by a skin reddened in large patches, and covered with branny crusts or 

 scales, which if removed the skin will be found dry and reddened, but not 

 bleeding. This disease usually attacks the whole surface of the body, and 

 is distinguished by its obstinacy and tendency to recur. 



Eczema simplex is the term used to designate the mildest form of the 

 disease yielding more readily to treatment. Numberless subdivisions have 

 been made by authors who have chosen terms to designate different varie- 

 ties of eczema having more or less perfectly marked stages, but they 



