DISEASES OF THE SKIN 51 



becomes of a grayish color. On removing the 

 crusts, the cup-like depression is seen covered 

 with a grayish powder; the edges of the lesion 

 are inflamed and the surrounding skin is 

 much thickened, very often raising the entire 

 lesion appreciably above the skin level. The 

 lesions are devoid of hair, which breaks off and 

 is found to be much frayed and split. The 

 lesions also give off a characteristic mousey 

 odor, which in conjunction vpith the macro- 

 scopic appearances, makes diagnosis quite sim- 

 ple. 



Treatment: The crusts should be removed, 

 any broken hairs pulled out, and the hair 

 around the lesions clipped. Both crusts and 

 hairs should then be burned. The lesion itself 

 may then be painted with tincture of iodine, or 

 swabbed with gasoline and painted with a solu- 

 tion of bichlorid of mercury, 1 to 500. A solu- 

 tion of ferric chlorid also gives good results and 

 has the advantage of being non-poisonous ; it is 

 especially useful where large areas require to 

 be treated. In obstinate cases silver nitrate 

 may be used by moistening a caustic stick and 

 rubbing the lesions with it. In any case, the 

 application of any of the above mentioned 

 fungicides should extend well beyond the peri- 

 phery of the lesion, due precautions being ob- 

 served, of course, to avoid injuring the eyes, 

 Ups or nostrils. 



