LICHEN CONVEX 



2251 



Treatment. — Arsenic, potassium iodide, mercury, do, not influence 

 the disease. To allay the pruritus salicyHc alcoholic lotions (2 per 

 cent.) and ointments may be used. 



LICHEN CONVEX. 



Synonym. — Lichen Pilaris Convex: (Castellani). 



Historical and Geographical. — This affection — which has been 

 described by Castellani — is very common in Ceylon, especially 

 among natives. 



Symptomatology. — The regions of the body mostly affected are 

 the thorax, dorsum, and shoulders. The disease is characterized 

 by the presence of numerous firm papules, all of>.which are follicular. 



■ - ' • ■ ^ ' ! 



Fig. 883. — Lichen Convex. 



The surface of the papules is smooth; no squamae or Iplugs are 

 found; they have always a convex surface, and may be almost 

 hemispheric, y\ to \ inch in diameter. The colour of the papules 

 has a pinkish hue in natives, and red in Europeans; they have no 

 inflammatory base, they are not surrounded by any halo of in- 

 flammation, nor is there hyperpigmentation, nor do they leave 

 pigmented areas on healing. The eruption is very pruriginous. 

 The regions affected may show hyperidrosis. The general health 

 is not affected; the lymphatic glands are not enlarged; in a few 

 cases the blood may show a slight degree of eosinophilia. 



The course is long, the eruption lasting about three to nine 



