Treatment

This disease is seldom, if ever, radically cured, but the condition of the patient can be considerably bettered. The general health is apparently unaffected. The treatment should be directed to the relief of the symptoms present. The anidrotic condition of the skin may be improved by the employment of such agents as will increase the sweat-secretion. For this purpose the old school recommend jaborandi, in the form of fluid extract, taken daily, in drachm-doses, and they claim that in some instances it has prompt effect, and at the same time loosening of the epidermic scales occur. The wet-pack has also been advantageously employed, or frequent washing and alkaline or other baths may be substituted with success for this purpose. After the removal of the epidermic accumulation, the newly exposed epidermis should be kept as soft and pliable as possible, by inunctions of some bland oil, to prevent a return to its former condition. Such treatment will afford relief, more or less permanent.

A generous diet should be allowed the patient.

An infusion of quillaya saponaris bark sometimes works well as a local fomentation.

Internal homoeopathic remedies are:
Arsen. iod. - Dry scaly skin; itching and burning in scrofulous subjects with swelling of the lymphatic glands.


Clematis. - When there are fine scales with some itching, worse when getting warm in bed; painful swelling and induration of the glands. Eruption changes character with the changes of the moon.

Graphites. - Skin dry and inclined to crack; unhealthy skin; every injury tends to ulceration; thick and crippled toe nails; extremities go to sleep; itching of the genitals.

Iodine. - The skin has a brown dingy color; ravenous hunger; swelling and distension of the abdomen; emaciation in dark-complexioned, scrofulous children.

Mercurius. - Dirty, yellow color of the skin; itching, worse at night when warm in bed; dry, scaly spots; in syphilitic and scrofulous subjects.

Natrum carb, - Skin of the whole body becomes dry, rough and cracked here and there; frequent empty or sour eructations; great prostration.

Phosphorus. - Skin is dry and wrinkled; skin of hands is rough and dry; pains in the chest; desire for acids and spicy foods; falling of the hair; great indisposition; in tall, slender people.

Potassium iodide. - Skin dried up; rough, like hog skin; sensitive swelling of the thyroid gland; oedematous infiltration of the tissues; after mercury or syphilis.

Plumbum. - Dry skin; absolute lack of perspiration; obstinate constipation; paralytic weakness of the limbs.

Thuja. - Dirty, gray, cadaverous looking skin. Wart-shaped excrescences; brittle or soft nails; lymphatic temperament.


Hypertrophic Diseases of the Corium
Under this head are included all those diseases in which the fibrous tissue of the skin is in excess and in which the disease extends to or involves the subjacent cellular tissue. These may be termed fibro-cellular hyperplasiae. They are: Morphoea; scleroderma; keloid; fibroma; buenemia tropica; and dermatolysis.