Classification, correct dietary, and treatment of diseases of the skin : as practised at the Belfast Hospital for the Skin / by Henry S. Purdon.

  • Purdon, Henry Samuel.
Date:
1889
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Classification, correct dietary, and treatment of diseases of the skin : as practised at the Belfast Hospital for the Skin / by Henry S. Purdon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    U L C Idiopathic. Sympathic (varicose). Constitutional. Imbedded (in morbid tissue). Cause.—Old definition of an ul :er is a solution of continuity in any of the soft parts of the body, attended with a secretion of pus, or some kind of discharge. The temporary pathological condition of any ulcer may be that known as heaUhti, or irritable, or Jlamed, that is when it is over yranulating, sitppuratinf/, phagedenic, or indolent, a.'i when ulcer is anaemic, infiltrated, or with callous edges. Ulcers, commonly called sores, vary greatly both as to size and shape. Some very large : these, if due to specific causes, being usually circular or punched out in appearance. Ulcers are slow in their progress, common in people who stand much, coming on after the middle period of life. Exposure to cold or damp will predis- pose to this affection. Warty growths around old standing ulcers, occu ring in cicatrices (the warty ulcer of Marjolin), generally de- generates into cancer. EES. TREATMENT. The treatment of ulcers is very varied. If much inflamed, use pomade of zinc, over which apply lint, wet with spirit lotion. Painting varicose veins, when they seem to be thecauseof theulceration, with ethereal tinct- ure of tannin, makes the congestion less and veins not so swollen. When the ulcer is very irrit ible or unhealthy, the pomade of iodo- form and boric acid is a suitable dressing, or we may mop out ulcer with the ethereal tincture of carbolic acid, u>-ing sameto moisten dressing with. An india-rubber bandage for chronic, ralloused-edged ulcers is the best plan of treatment. Of course cleanliness is always necessary. For some forms of ulcera- tion the transplantation of pieces of skin by the method of professor Thier!-ch yields ex- cellent results in the treatment of fresh wounds as well as granulating sores, ulcers of the leg, and similar lesions. The method has been extensively practised in the clinic at Leipsic, and is an im|)rovement on the method first described by Reverdin. After the necessary disinfection of the parts to be operated upon, the granulations, including the edges of the ulcer, are briskly scraped with a sharp spoon to prepare a fresh sur- face. The haemorrhage is readily subdued by a dressing of protective silk and a sponge, both moistened with a 0*75 per cent, solution of common salt. As soon as the bleeding has ceased, thin slices of skin cut off by means of a razor, in such a manner as to include a part of the papilla;. The piece thus obtained is spread out over the raw surface of the wound, pretty much in the same way that a microscopical section is extended over the object bearer, and slightly pressed on with a sponge or a spatula. After the surrounding skin has been slightly inuncted with sweet oil, a piece of protective silk, moistened with the normal solution of chloride of sodium, is applied, and a layer of wet cotton wool the thickness of a man's finger ; this is covered with silk and dry cotton wool, the whole being firmly surrounded with gauze rollers. The dressing is renewed daily.