ERUBESCITE : see BORNITE.
the Rose, St. Anthony's Fire- an acute contagious disease, characterized by a spreading inflam mation of the skin, caused by streptococcus erysipelatis. Ery sipelas is endemic in most countries, and epidemic at certain seasons, particularly the spring of the year. The disease seems to depend in all cases upon the existence of a wound or abrasion. In the so-called idiopathic variety, of which facial erysipelas is the best known, the point of entry is probably an abrasion by the lachrymal duct.
The skin in a mild case of erysipelas is red and oedematous and may show small vesications. The edge of the patch is of ten raised and distinct and extends from day to day. As the disease advances the portions of skin first attacked become less inflamed and slight desquamation occurs. The inflammation in general disappears after a week or ten days, but recrudescences are common if the streptococcus is very virulent or the patient's resistance low; suppuration or even gangrene may occur. In such cases the local condition becomes subordinate to a general septicaemia. In all cases of erysipelas constitutional symptoms are severe, tempera tures of I 05°F. and delirium being common.
Although the termination is usually favourable, serious and occasionally fatal results follow from inflammation of the mem branes of the brain, and in some rare instances sudden death has occurred from suffocation arising from oedema glottidis, the inflammatory action having spread into and extensively involved the throat. One attack of this disease, so far from giving protec tion, appears to leave the patient susceptible to others. A fatal form occasionally attacks new-born infants, particularly in the first four weeks of their lives. In epidemics of puerperal fever this form of erysipelas has been specially found to prevail.
The treatment of erysipelas is that of a severe bacterial toxaemia. Strength must be maintained and local applications may be soothing, but administration of antistreptococcus serum appears to be the rational treatment.