Kennedy on diseases of the skin.

  • Kennedy, Donald, 1812-1889.
Date:
[1858?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Kennedy on diseases of the skin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    12/50
    Order VI. SQUAMA LEPRA, PSORIASIS, PYTIRIASIS, ICHTHYOSIS. In this order there are four divisions, Lepra, Psoriasis, Pytiriasis and Ichthyosis. The first two are so near alike as to be impossible at all times to distinguish between them. I often wonder what can be the benefit to medical knowledge to draw a divid- ing line where it is impossible to follow; but some physicians are fond of splitting hairs, and none more so than French physicians who have written on diseases of the skin. LEPRA—WHITE SCALE. This is a chronic inflammation of the skin, consisting of an eruption on various parts of the body, of raised patches, which are speedily covered over by trans- parent scales of white and dead skin. The patches are higher at the edge than in the middle, and spread out from the circumference, as does a. ringworm, while the skin in the centre comes to its natural color. This disease attacks the joints oftener than it does the fleshy parts. The scales are of a greyish white or silvery color, and can be rubbed off without any trouble, leaving a dull red skin, but by some chemical process or other, in an hour or two the patches are as bad as ever. I have seen a great many cases of this disease. It does not cause any sickness, not much inconvenience, very rarely itches, and is not catching nor dan gerous—the only trouble is, its there, and you want to get rid of it. A great deal has been written to prove this disease to be inherited; so is original sin ; but it does not always break out. I have known some very remarkable cases of this disease. I know a family of several sons and daughters, who were perfectly healthy, without a scab or a blotch, until their seventeenth year, when each member of the family, except one daughter, became a confirmed leper. In other respects they all enjoyed excellent health. Among them they have taken some three or four dozen of Medical Discovery. The last I heard of them they were about cured. It is very sin- gular that this family, one after another, should be attacked at the same period. I know another family very similar, but more melancholy in its nature, where every child except one was struck with total blindness on their sixteenth birthday. The one exception had gone four days over the time, and flattered himself that he had escapedi when sitting at the dinner table, he reached his hand to receive the plate from his mother; before he could set the plate down his sight was gone forever. Each case was by physicians pronounced to be paralysis of the optic nerve, and unfortunately could not be reached by the Medical Discovery. Lepra Alplioides. This variety occurs in the orm of small flatted scaly spots, raised above the surface,' rarely as broad as a three cent piece; the smaller ones look like drops of rain sprinkled on the skin. It commences in small papular elevations with a red top, soon producing a small white scale, which soon comes to its growth, and is then replaced by another. The only difference between this and the former is that the patches are small and corftmence with a red top. PSORIASIS. I am not able to find a proper English word for this. Wilson calls it dry tetter, but that is not definite enough; there are several varieties called dry tetter. It commences precisely as Lepra does, with a chronic inflammation of the skin. The patches are more irregular at the edges, they are more raised in the centre, the scales look duller, almost as dull as a scab, and the healthy skin around it sometimes looks a