OF THE HUMASr SKIN. 81 



must be energetic, and properly conducted. Epi- 

 lation of all the hairs surrounding a spot, steadily 

 pursued, and the application of some remedy to 

 kill the spores, are the means employed. Stimu- 

 lation of the skin afterwards, even to repeated 

 blistering, may induce the hair to grow again. 



Barber's itch is the name which has been given 

 by the community to the next disease to be de- 

 •scribed : sycosis, or mentagra, is its technical 

 name. . It, however, must be remembered that 

 this name of barber's itch would also naturally be 

 applied to ringworm on the bearded face, or, in 

 fact, to any itching eruption of the face. Pliny 

 described the disease perfectly, just as it raged in 

 old Rome under the Emperor Tiberius Claudius 

 Csesar. It was passed from one to another of the 

 male population by their practice of kissing when- 

 ever they met. The fungus found is principally 

 the spores of microsporon mentagrophytes, which 

 infests the hairs and hair follicles. These latter 

 swell up into hard lumps under the skin. The 

 surface looks red, swollen, itches, and the hairs 

 fall out or are readily removed by the slightest 

 pull. Pustules are formed where the diseased fol- 

 licles are, and the whole bearded part of the face 

 6 



