These Tumours occur on various parts of the surface on the body, are smooth, elastic and movable under the skin; they slowly increase without pain, often to a very great size; attain their greatest development in warm climates.– especially in the Hindu and negro races– where they have been met with of an enormous weight and size.
TREATMENT.- The Wen should be dissected out by a surgeon.
220.–Warts.
DEFINITION.– A small, hard tumour, consisting of elongated and enlarged papillae of the cutis vera, clothed with a stratum of hypertrophied and hardened cuticle, chiefly affecting the hands and face of young persons appearing and disappearing without any particular known cause.
TREATMENT.– Thuja– The Warts should be painted twice daily with the matrix tincture; at the same time a dilution (6x) of Thuja may be administered morning and night. The latter is especially necessary when the Warts appear in crops. This course may be followed for a weak or two, and if improvement ensue, as it generally does, the treatment should be continued longer. When Thuja does not succeed, Rhus may be substituted, and used in the same way.
Sulphur, once a day for a week or two, is an excellent remedy for numerous and obstinate Warts upon the hands. It is also useful after other medicines, to eradicate the tendency to recurrence. Dulcamara 3, Ant.-C. I, and Ac.-Nit. are also said to be often successful.
221.–Ringworm of the Scalp (Tinea tonsurans).
DEFINITION.– An affection of the scalp in children due to a fungus which attacks the air, with the result that the latter becomes opaque and brittle and breaks off about an eighth of an inch from the scalp, leaving the characteristic hair-stump.
The condition is almost unknown after the age of sixteen.
Ringworm of the scalp is a very important disease in that it probably causes the loss of more educational time among children then any other disorder.
CAUSE.– Two species of fungus named respectively the small spored ringworm and the large spored ringworm, cause the vast majority of cases of the disease. The small-spored is much the commoner in this country.
SYMPTOMS.– The disease usually being as a pink spot near the border of the scalp. This spot becomes a ring, then the colour disappears and the hairs are invaded and begin to break, while gradually the surface of the patch becomes scaly, until eventually one sees the characteristics dry, greyish, scaly patch three-eighths of an inch to one inch in diameter, with sharply defined borders. The hairs on the patch are more scanty than on the rest of the scalp, and for the most part are short, broken off about one-eighth of an inch from the surface, lack their natural lustre, and appear to be clothed with a greyish sheath. Sometimes there is a single large patch affected, or there may be a number of smaller, which may or may not ultimately fuse into a single one. The whole scalp may be affected with the exception of a few islands of apparently normal hair and skin.
Left to itself the disease is extremely chronic, and may last two or more ears, but will ultimately disappear spontaneously at fifteen or sixteen.
It is contagious during its entire duration– how much so may be judged from the fact that if introduced into a class, two-thirds or three-quarters of the children may be attacked associated with impaired general health.
In children a common condition from which ringworm has to be distinguished is Alopecia areata– a matter of great practical importance, because ringworm is contagious, while alopecia is not. The ringworm patch is scaly, that of alopecia areata is smooth. The hair-stumps in ringworm are numerous and opaque, those in alopecia are scanty, wedges-shaped and translucent. Examination of the stumps under the microscope is conclusive, because those of ringworm reveal the presence of the fungus– their appearance has been likened to a stick coated with paste and rolled in the sand.
TREATMENT.– The fungus is easily destroyed. It is, however, very difficult to get any substance to penetrate to the recesses of the hair follicles. Where the infection has laid from hold before its presence is detected, the X-rays form the most satisfactory method of treatment, particularly if the whole head is affected and the case is likely to be extremely tedious.
The X-rays cause the hair, in the area to which they are applied, to fall out in about a month, and the case is then free from infection. In about two months the hair grows again and at the end of three months the scalp should be well recovered.
If for any reason it is considered inadvisable to use X-rays, the older methods of treatment must be resorted to. The hair of the affected area and of a wide margin round it should be clipped or shaved, and the skin thoroughly washed with soft soap and hot water, and then with ether or turpentine. It should then be allowed to dry. Tincture of Iodine may next be painted on, or the strong Nitrate of Mercury ointment applied every morning, and washed off every evening. This treatment is to be discontinued if the scalp become inflamed–to be reapplied on subsidence of the inflammation.
Children who suffer from ringworm must be isolated, and brushes, combs and towels would be kept for their sole use.
Internally Sepia, Calcarea carb. and Sulph. are useful remedies, combined with the already mentioned local treatment.
222.–Alopecia Areata.
DEFINITION.– A loss of hair in patches due to changes in the hair follicle, which deprives it of its power of forming hair. The condition is a disease, not of the hair itself, but of the hair follicle.
Alopecia is quite common, and varied much in severity in different cases, the mild type being commoner than the severe. It occurs in both sexes with about equal frequency, and usually begins before the age of twenty. Individuals who as children have once been attacked, are very likely to be attacked again, and with greater severity, as adults.
CAUSE.- Probably parasitic in some cases at least. Syphilis predisposes to loss of hair but Syphilitic Alopecia is a distinct disease and yields to anti-syphilitic treatment.
SYMPTOMS.– The hairs over one or more circular or oval areas of the scalp are rapidly shed, leaving white and polished bald patches, the surface of which is often sunk below the level of the surrounding skin. There may be a few short black hair stumps scattered here and there on the surface; these stumps, unlike those of ringworm can be pulled out without breaking off short.
In men Alopecia areata occurs in the beard quite as often as it does on the scalp.
The disease is very chronic, but it almost always recovers after a longer or shorter period. When the hair grows again it appears exceedingly fine and fair, and only gradually recovers its original colour.
In children alopecia is sometimes confounded with ringworm(q.v.).
TREATMENT.– Improve the general health by diet, fresh air, sunlight, exercise, etc. Wash the head thoroughly, and once a week rub into the patches an ointment containing one grain of Biniodide of Mercury to two ounces of Vaseline. Sepia internally seems of value.
223.– Favus.
DEFINITION.– A contagious condition, due to the growth of a fungus called the Achorion Schonleinii closely allied to that of ringworm.
It is uncommon in England, and chiefly found in aliens or their children.
The scalp is the usual seat of the disease, which latter presents itself as small sulphur- or straw-coloured cupped crusts, which coalesce and give rise to honey-comb appearance, and emit a peculiar mouse-like odour.
The fungus penetrates much more deeply into the skin than does that of ringworm, and is therefore even more difficult to destroy.
The only successful treatment is by means of the X-rays.
224.–Tinea Versicolor.
This is the commonest cause of pigmentation of the trunk and the pigmentation results from the growth of a fungus (Microsporon furfur) in the horny layer of the skin.
The eruption is closely associated with a distaste for the use of soap and water, and a predilection for the use of the same undergarment by night as well as by day. It commences as small red points, with itching, Slightly elevated, greasy, somewhat scaly patches of a fawn-colour, appear on chest, abdomen and arms. These vary in size from that of a three penny piece to that of the size of the palm of the hand, and are much irritated by flannel.
TREATMENT is easy, but must be persisted in until all traces of the eruption have vanished, or relapse is certain to occur. The underclothing must be changed on going to bed, and the body is to be bathed daily with free use of soap. The affected parts are to be bathed with a lotion of Hydrargyrum or Hydrargyrum biniodatum, of strength one to a thousand of water, or with a lotion, made of one ounce of the British Pharmacopoeial preparation of Sulphurous acid to three ounces of water.
225.- Pediculosis.
Pediculi, or lice, suck blood through a proboscis which is inserted into a sweat duct, and in doing so cause minute subcuticular haemorrhages. In susceptible persons a wheal may develop round the puncture. There is much itching, but in different person the degree of irritation evoked varies to a very marked extent.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."