95 
“MOSSY” FOOT OF THE AMAZON 
REGION, AN INFECTIVE VERRUCOl IC 
CONDITION AFFECTING THE SKIN 
OF THE UPPER AND LOWER LIMBS 
BY 
H. WOLFERSTAN THOMAS, M.D., C.M. (McGill). 
Expedition to the Amazon , 1905-1909. 
From the Research Laboratory in Mandos, State of Amazonas, 
North Brazil. 
(Plates VII, VIII, IX) 
My attention was attracted to a verrucoid condition usually 
affecting the lower limbs of natives of the Amazon region, 
appears to be auto-infective, and nearly all the cases exhibited one or 
more infective foci. Many patients complain of the exquisite ten 
ness of the papillomata, and on account of the vascularity even sl.gh 
injuries may cause pain and bleeding. The condition is of slow 
growth. It is probable that the pain and bleeding are 
reasons which induce the patient to ask for treatment. 
The photographs* (Plates VII, VIII) depict a severe type of the 
infection. The patient, a man aet. 23, an Amazonense of the peasa 
class, claimed that he had injured his right foot about ~ 
previously. The foot remained tender and swollen. He d °f * n °‘ 
remember having had any fever other than sezoes (ague), and about- 
year later he noticed small vesicles appearing on t e 00 , 
outside of the heel. The vesicles were moist and ^ted ta a 
couple of weeks, when they gave place to small dry, wa y g^ ^ 
which gradually advanced and sprea d to the toes, aro _._ 
• 1 am indebted to Messrs. G. Huebner and Amaral, of Manios, for the p 
of the ease. 
