fiNEA ALBA do4<^ 



Symptomatology.— The arms, legs, chest, and occasionally the 

 whole body, present a diffuse eruption of white powdciy appear- 

 ance, this being due to 

 the very numerous small 

 white pityriasic squamae 

 present. The margins 

 of the eruption, when 

 the causative fungus is 

 Ep. rubrum, may be dis- 

 tinctly raised and dotted 

 with minute, close-set 

 papules. 



Course and Prognosis — 

 The course is very chronic. 

 Apparently the fungi have 

 a disturbing action on the 

 production of pigment in 

 the skin, and after some 

 years white leucodermic 

 patches may develop, 

 in which no fungus is 

 found. 



Diagnosis. — This is based 

 on the diffuse eruption 

 with the abundant fine 

 pityriasic desquamation, 

 and with well-marked limits 



Fig. 805. — Tinea Alba due to Epider- 

 mophyton rubrum Castellani. 



examination. It is quite easily 

 distinguished from tinea im- 

 bricata by the squamae being 

 pityriasic, very small, easily 

 detached. In leucoderma the 

 surface is smooth, no squamae 

 being present and no fungus 

 found. As already stated, 

 however, if the eruption is 

 left untreated for a long 

 time, leucodermic patches may 

 develop. 



Treatment.— The best treat- 

 ment is by a chrysarobin 

 ointment (2 to 5 per cent.), 

 applied with the precautions 

 already mentioned. Tincture 

 of iodine and liniment of iodine 



Fig. 806. — Tinea Alba. may also be used. 



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