Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine [527]
to imposture; the Hindoo woman cut the lumps off herself and threw them away. Le Page found the most contracted hairs flattened. Stellwagon reports a case of plica in a woman. It occupied a dollar-sized area above the nape of the neck, and in twelve years reached the length of 12 feet. There was no history of its manner of onset.
Tinea nodosa is a name given by Morris and Cheadle to a case of nodular growth on the beard and whiskers of a young man. In a case noticed by Crocker this disease affected the left side of the mustache of a medical man, who complained that the hair, if twisted up, stuck together. When disintegrated the secretion in this case seemed to be composed of fungous spores. Epithelium fragments, probably portions of the internal root-sheath, sometimes adhere to the shaft of the hair as it grows up, and look like concretions. Crocker states that he is informed by White of Boston that this disease is common in America in association with alopecia furfuracea, and is erroneously thought to be the cause of the loss of hair, hence the popular name, "hair-eaters."
Thomson describes a case of mycosis fungoides in a young girl of the age of fourteen, whom he saw in Brussels toward the end of October, 1893. She was the third of a family of 13 children of whom only five survived. Of the children born subsequently to the patient, the first were either premature or died a few days after their births. The seventh was under treatment for interstitial keratitis and tuberculous ulceration of the lips and throat. The disease in the patient made its appearance about seven months previously, as a small raised spot in the middle of the back just above the buttocks. Many of the patches coalesced. At the time of report the lumbar region was the seat of the disease, the affection here presenting a most peculiar appearance, looking as if an enormous butterfly had alighted on the patient's back, with its dark blue wings covered with silvery scales, widely expanded. The patient was not anemic and appeared to be in the best of health. None of the glands were affected. According to Thomson there is little doubt that this disease is caused by non-pyogenic bacteria gaining access to the sweat-glands. The irritation produced by their presence gives rise to proliferation of the connective-tissue corpuscles.
Jamieson reports a case of mycosis in a native of Aberdeenshire aged thirty-eight. There was no history of any previous illness. The disease began three years previous to his application for treatment, as a red, itching, small spot on the cheek. Two years later lumps presented themselves, at first upon his shoulders. The first thing to strike an observer was the offensive odor about the patient. In the hospital wards it made all the occupants sick. The various stages of the disease were marked upon the different parts of the body. On the chest and abdomen it resembled an eczema, on the shoulders there were brown, pinkish-red areas. On the scalp the hair was scanty, the eye-brows denuded, and the eyelashes absent. The forehead was leonine in aspect. From between the various nodosities a continual discharge exuded, the nodosities being markedly irregular over the limbs. The backs of the hands, the dorsums of the feet, the wrists and ankles, had closely approximating growths upon them, while under the thick epidermis of the palms of the hands were blisters. Itching was intense. The patient became emaciated and died thirteen days after his admission into the hospital. A histologic examination showed the sarcomatous nature of the various growths. The disease differed from "button-scurvy." Mycosis fungoides approximates, clinically and histologically, granulomata and sarcomata.
Morris described an interesting case of universal dermatitis, probably a rare variety of mycosis fungoides. The patient had for many years a disease which had first appeared on the arms and legs, and which was usually regarded by the physicians who saw the case as eczema. At times the disease would entirely disappear, but it relapsed, especially during visits
Tinea nodosa is a name given by Morris and Cheadle to a case of nodular growth on the beard and whiskers of a young man. In a case noticed by Crocker this disease affected the left side of the mustache of a medical man, who complained that the hair, if twisted up, stuck together. When disintegrated the secretion in this case seemed to be composed of fungous spores. Epithelium fragments, probably portions of the internal root-sheath, sometimes adhere to the shaft of the hair as it grows up, and look like concretions. Crocker states that he is informed by White of Boston that this disease is common in America in association with alopecia furfuracea, and is erroneously thought to be the cause of the loss of hair, hence the popular name, "hair-eaters."
Thomson describes a case of mycosis fungoides in a young girl of the age of fourteen, whom he saw in Brussels toward the end of October, 1893. She was the third of a family of 13 children of whom only five survived. Of the children born subsequently to the patient, the first were either premature or died a few days after their births. The seventh was under treatment for interstitial keratitis and tuberculous ulceration of the lips and throat. The disease in the patient made its appearance about seven months previously, as a small raised spot in the middle of the back just above the buttocks. Many of the patches coalesced. At the time of report the lumbar region was the seat of the disease, the affection here presenting a most peculiar appearance, looking as if an enormous butterfly had alighted on the patient's back, with its dark blue wings covered with silvery scales, widely expanded. The patient was not anemic and appeared to be in the best of health. None of the glands were affected. According to Thomson there is little doubt that this disease is caused by non-pyogenic bacteria gaining access to the sweat-glands. The irritation produced by their presence gives rise to proliferation of the connective-tissue corpuscles.
Jamieson reports a case of mycosis in a native of Aberdeenshire aged thirty-eight. There was no history of any previous illness. The disease began three years previous to his application for treatment, as a red, itching, small spot on the cheek. Two years later lumps presented themselves, at first upon his shoulders. The first thing to strike an observer was the offensive odor about the patient. In the hospital wards it made all the occupants sick. The various stages of the disease were marked upon the different parts of the body. On the chest and abdomen it resembled an eczema, on the shoulders there were brown, pinkish-red areas. On the scalp the hair was scanty, the eye-brows denuded, and the eyelashes absent. The forehead was leonine in aspect. From between the various nodosities a continual discharge exuded, the nodosities being markedly irregular over the limbs. The backs of the hands, the dorsums of the feet, the wrists and ankles, had closely approximating growths upon them, while under the thick epidermis of the palms of the hands were blisters. Itching was intense. The patient became emaciated and died thirteen days after his admission into the hospital. A histologic examination showed the sarcomatous nature of the various growths. The disease differed from "button-scurvy." Mycosis fungoides approximates, clinically and histologically, granulomata and sarcomata.
Morris described an interesting case of universal dermatitis, probably a rare variety of mycosis fungoides. The patient had for many years a disease which had first appeared on the arms and legs, and which was usually regarded by the physicians who saw the case as eczema. At times the disease would entirely disappear, but it relapsed, especially during visits