OF THE HUMAN SKIN. 79 



above the skin, and looking as if the hair had 

 been cut short, like a tonsure. With the contin- 

 uance of the itching, the skin swells somewhat, and 

 looks of a darker color ; the fungus also appears 

 on the hairs and surface of the skin. Finally, the 

 hair follicles are inflamed, and the tissue around, 

 and the matter then formed, tends to destroy the 

 fungus itself. Thus more or less baldness is pro- 

 duced on the scalp, and on the body where the 

 hair is not so strong, and the integument diflfereut ; 

 this disease forms reddish-looking scaly rings, fa- 

 miliar to all as ringworm. Of course the symp- 

 toms and appearances will vary according as the 

 disease is on the scalp or body. All sorts of 

 remedies are popular amongst the various classes 

 of the community. Epilation, and the application 

 of a parasiticide, as above described for favus, are 

 the two quickest and best methods of treatment. 

 The success of the popular remedies is entirely 

 due to their irritating the skin, and thus making it 

 throw off more quickly the diseased hairs and 

 surrounding scarf-skin. 



Alopecia areata is our next disease to be noticed. 

 It is due to the presence of a fungus called micro- 

 sporon Audouini, mostly the spores above de- 



