The surgery of Egypt / [Frank Cole Madden].

  • Madden, Frank Cole.
Date:
1919
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The surgery of Egypt / [Frank Cole Madden]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the true ‘septic throat’ is often very greatly benefitted by vaccines ; and in the absence of a diphtheria or diphtheroid bacillus, when a throat is slow in clearing up, streptococci with or without staphylococcic vaccine, should always be tried. The distinction between the various organisms that produce ordinary sore, septic, or membranous throats is very difficult to make and often involves a lengthy and elaborate process before the true ‘ausal organism can be definitely ascertained. On this account autogenous vaccines are not very practicable. A stock vaccine may possibly meet the case and should certainly be tried, though too much must not be expected of it.” CARBUNCLE occurs in about the same proportion of cases as in England and is of equal severity. Its importance, however, depends entirely on its association with diabetes and sometimes, also, with Bright’s disease ; and quite apart from its possibilities of a general septic infection it not infrequently proves early fatal from diabetic coma or even suppression of urine. This question has already been dealt with in the section on gangrene in diabetes, with which disease, also, boils and furunculosis and secondary cellulitis may also be complicated. The skin lesions of LEPROSY and of PARASITIC GRANULOMA have also been dealt with in an earlier section, as also the skin lesions of BILHAR- ZIOSIS and of SPIROCHAETOSIS. WARTS AND CORNS are very uncommon, probably from the bare-footed habit of the people, and these and the other commoner conditions of the appendages of the skin, such as INGROWING TOENAIL and the like, have no special local significance and are treated on general principles. MYCETOMA. Though it cannot for long be classed as a skin disease, it will be convenient to include here a description of the local manifestations of mycetoma, more especially in the form in which it most commonly presents itself, MADURA FOOT, the fungus of which gains entrance from the skin surface. This disease was once considered to be endemic within certain well- defined limits; but of late years it has been found to have a much more extensive distribution in tropical countries than was formerly supposed. The district of Madura—in the extreme south of India—gave its name to the disease ; but.it occurs also in other parts of India and elsewhere in Asia. In Africa it has an even more extended locale, including Algiers, Senegambia, the Soudan, whence a few cases reach Egypt, and Reunion. Cases, apparently arising ‘de novo’ in the country itself, occur also in Kgypt, Cyprus, Turkey, Italy, and, within the last few years, in France. The disease runs a very chronic course and is much more common in men than in women. It generally attacks the foot, particularly in those whose occupation requires them to work bare-footed in the fields. It is only very rarely met with in a town-dweller. The condition is due toa fungus, which, though it presents some points of resemblance to Actinomycosis, is now generally regarded as a Streptothrix, which is