OF THE HUMAN SKIN. 49 



have above described, when search for it always 

 revealed the true cause. 



This mite, in burrowing into the skin, produces 

 intense itching, and sometimes a vesicular erup- 

 tion on the surface; but this is all. The intense 

 itching, however, causes those infested to scratch 

 themselves incessantly, night and day ; and they 

 consequently tear and lacerate the skin in every 

 direction. The mite, as we have said, needs a 

 delicate part of the skin to dig into — between the 

 fingers, for instance — and here the peculiar look- 

 ing burrows are first sought for. The portion of 

 the skin of the whole body particularly ravaged 

 by this unpleasant parasite are so definite, that 

 those familiar with cutaneous diseases can, at a 

 glance, say whether the patient has the itch. It 

 must be remembered that several other diseases 

 of the skin cause as bad itching as the itch-mite ; 

 but the special portions of the general integument 

 are, however, so marked to the practised eye, that 

 we no longer feel any need of finding a mite in 

 its burrow to establish our diagnosis and treat- 

 ment. In fact, we might spend a long time in 

 fruitless hunt, when the trouble has lasted some 

 time, or treatment has been attempted. 



4 



