MEDICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11854, 4 January 1902, Page 6 (Supplement)

MEDICAL NOTES.

ECZEMA. I propose to say something about a very common skin trouble—l may say it is the most common of: all such affectionsnamely, Eczema. - This : ailment,- which appears in various forms and guises, is often popularly known as "tetter," or "tatter."' It affects all ages, and maybe seen equally in .the infant ! and in the : aged,'- so that eczema becomes of importance if only ; from its wide distribution and its common occurrence. '; In young children it will be ■'.. observed that eczema is often associated with lung troubles, such as bronchitis ; and it is noted that an adults eczema may appear when asthma or other chest affections are present. But by far the greater number of cases t iii full-grown people. will be found to accompany or to result, from some particular: habit of body or. constitution;which favours the ; outbreak of ! this' skin ailment. ,' It is a familiar fact that gouty persons are liable to suffer from eczema, ! while .rheumatism is also; held to favour its oncoming in some cases. Any condition involving bodily weakness may, as a matter of fact, encourage an attack of eczema. Here we see the case of a lowered vitality favouring disease-invasion, as in so many other cases ; and it is, of course,' an, essential rule for cure that such causes of general debility and weakness shall be removed. All local treatment applied to the skin in such a case will be of no great avail so long as the constitution itself is at fault. Also, we must not fail to !note that some purely local condition of the skin in the way of undue irritation may bring on eczema. Washerwomen are subject to .it from the constant irritation of arms and hands ! to which their work exposes them, and it is said that in some cases of delicate skin the sun's rays playing fiercely on the body's surface will induce an attack. The ailment we are discussing is often very tedious in its course, and proportionately slow of cure. This will be especially the case where, , as I have " said,'. there is some constitutional trouble to be corrected. Thus if a gouty man has eczema lie must cure his gout if he would be freed from his skin trouble. He will have to regulate his diet, and to give up all excess of flesh foods. Ho will have to increase his vegetable foods, and to take plenty of fruits. Alcohol will similarly require to be carefully considered. No beer will be allowed, or stout, and all wines will be cut off. He may be allowed a little whisky and mineral water, the last containing lithia, and, if the doctor thinks it necessary, he may be ordered special medicine for his gout itself. ' A rheumatic man would similarly be treated I for his rheumatism, and would probably be ! ordered to take salicylate of soda or salicin7 for his ailment, while local remedies would be applied to the skin. Where a person is " run down" in health he will require good, food and tonics for the same reasonthat it is of no great service or use to treat the skin trouble alone without attending rigidly to the general health. Attention to the bowels is also a necessary part of all treatment. Coming now to local remedies applied directly to the skin for the cure of 1 eczema there is one rule which is to be fol- 1 lowed where crusts have formed. They must be removed by poulticing, or by the aid of soap and hot water, before any remedies can be applied in a satisfactory manner. Cleanliness is to be closely observed, and this rule will specially apply to the cases of infants, of course, when the scalp is affected. Where there is a good deal of irritation and itching a warm bath, to which is added bicarbonate of soda, will give relief, an ounce of soda to ten gallons of water being sufficient. Bathing the part with a solution of coal-tar liquor teaspoonful to a large tumblerful of tepid water— act gratefully in many cases. A very successful treatment has been that by means of dee oil (the Oleum Deelinse of the chemist), which should be kept constantly applied to the parts on slips of lint. Ointments are also employed. An ounce of oxide of zinc ointment, to which is added one drachm of trisnitrate of bismuth and one drachm of dilute hydrocyanic acid, forms a well-known remedy. Apply this on lint night and morning. As little washing as possible is another rule, and soap, even the' best, is apt to irritate. If the disease tends to become chronic and lasting, it demands medical attention of special kind.Dr. A. Wilson. •