22 7 



to daughter, although usually transmitted to those of like 

 sex. Its frequent occurrence in brothers and sisters, without 

 any external influences being recognised, is further proof of 

 the hereditary nature of ichthyosis. 1 



Of the other skin diseases and their name is legion I 

 maintain that there is scarcely one of them not one of 

 them, in fact, of a constitutional character which is not 

 more or less subject to the law of heredity, either as an 

 actual or predisposing cause. To discuss those forms which 

 I have left unnoticed in any detail would occupy more space 

 than I can at present command, and would, after all, be a 

 work of supererogation, as the various forms already referred 

 to are not only in themselves the most important among the 

 dermatoses, but may be said to fairly represent the various 

 classes of cutaneous affections. Whether, therefore, of the 

 nature of local inflammation, diathetic diseases, hyper- or 

 atrophic disease, new formations, haemorrhagic, neurotic, or 

 pigmentary diseases, or disorders of the hair, glands, and 

 their appendages heredity is a potent factor in their pro- 

 duction, either by actual transmission, or a predisposition 

 resulting from inherited morbid proclivity in the tissue of 

 the skin itself. 



I have already said that the details of cutaneous patho- 

 logical changes manifest nothing essentially special, as 

 compared with those occurring in other parts of the body ; 

 and thus, in the local inflammations of the skin whether 

 erythematous, catarrhal, plastic, or suppurative we find the 

 inflammatory process identical with that in other parts, and 

 in this connection it should be remembered that the more 

 frequently the tissues have yielded to any special process of 



1 Dr. E. Lesser. 



