ACNE, a skin eruption produced by inflammation of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles, the essential point in the disease being the plugging of the mouths of the sebaceous follicles by a "comedo," familiarly known as "blackhead." It is generally acknowledged that the cause of this disease is a specific organism (B. acnes). The affection occurs in the form of red pimples or papules, which may become pustular and be attended with much surrounding irritation of the skin. It is commonest in early adult life, and occurs on the chest and back as well as on the face, where it may, when of much extent, produce great disfigurement. It is apt to persist for months or even years, but usually in time disappears entirely, although slight traces may remain in the form of scars or stains upon the skin. Acniform eruptions are some times produced by the internal use of certain drugs, such as the iodide or bromide of potassium.
The face should be held over steaming water for several minutes, and then thoroughly bathed. The blackheads should next be removed, not with the finger-nail, but with an inexpensive little instrument known as the "comedo expressor." When the more noticeable of the blackheads have been expressed, the face should be firmly rubbed for three or four minutes witri a lather made from a special soap composed of sulphur, camphor and balsam of Peru. Any lather remaining on the face should be wiped off with a soft handkerchief. As this treatment might give rise to some irritation of the skin, it should be replaced every fourth night by a simple application of cold cream. Of drugs used internally sulphide of calcium, in pill, 6 grain three times a day is a useful adjunct. The patient should take plenty of exercise in the fresh air, a very simple but nourishing diet, and, if present, constipation and anaemia must be suitably treated.
is a more severe and troublesome disorder, a true dermatitis with no relation to the foregoing, and in most cases secondary to seborrhea of the scalp. It is characterized by great redness of the nose and cheeks, accompanied by pustular enlargements on the surface of the skin, which produce marked disfigurement. Although often seen in persons who live too freely, it is by no means confined to such, but may arise in con nection with disturbances of the general health, especially of the function of digestion, and in females with menstrual disorders. It is exceedingly intractable to treatment, which is partly local and partly constitutional. Of internal remedies preparations of iodine and of arsenic are sometimes found of service.
