DISEASES OF THE SKIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20990, 29 September 1931, Page 11

DISEASES OF THE SKIN.

TAKING CANCER IN TIME.

WARNING BY A DOCTOR. y FALLACY ABOUT LEPROSY. An emphatic warning to people who suspect the beginnings of cancerous growths on the skin to seek medical advice without delay was uttered last evening by Dr. H. W. Wilson in the University College Hall in an address on "The Skin and Some of its Afflictions." The address, which was illustrated by a motion picture film and numerous slides, was one of a series arranged by the Auckland Institute and Museum, and given under the auspices of the Auckland branch of the British Medical Association. "It is still a popular fallacy that cancer of the skin is an alarming affliction which can rarely bo got rid of," said Dr. Wilson. "It ought to be known that skin cancers can be removed if taken in time. They begin with a small swelling, which rapidly increases in extent, and people should on no account delay in having an inspection of it made. In the early stages removal is a simple matter, but if allowed to continue unchecked for some time, the growth when removed often results in serious disfiguration when it occurs on the face."

Another belief held commonly which Dr. Wilson said was to a large degree unfounded was the universal horror of leprosy. In reality that affliction, ho said, was not as terrible or as contagious as one of the common diseases of civilisation which, strangely, was not feared as much as its gravity warranted. Numbers of cases of leprosy, even in its serious form, were being cured to-day.

"It is probable that the horror with which people look upon leprosy has its origin in Biblical accounts of tho disease," said Dr. Wilson, "This afflic-. tion, however, probably took on a more serious aspect in translation than was actually intended. In a dictionary I have seen psoriasis was given as the alternative of 'lepra,' hence the probable confusion." Some kinds of common garden plants, said Dr. Wilson, were often responsible for severe skin afflictions. The skin of some people was peculiarly susceptible to irritation even by flowers and plants which were a feature of nearly every home garden. Daffodils, the incense plant, and in one case the ordinary tomato had been the cause of painful and unexpected skin disorders. Internal diseases and affections came from numerous origins. The most easily preventable resulted from insufficient bathing. Strange as it might seem, a person who exercised vigorously perspired freely, changed his clothes, yet did not bathe, was in a healthier condition than one who did not perspire heavily, did not often change, but yet who bathed often. Perspiration was a most effectual agent for the cleansing of the skin, but of course did not obviate tho value of the use of ; plenty of water.