Effect for first few days will be to render condition worse; but, after this, lotion prevents perforation of pustules. G. Gorden Campbell (Montreal Med. Jour., Apr., 'OS).
Formaldehyde has recently been tried with success.
Case in which intradcrmal injections of formaldehyde, in strength of I drop of the 40-per-cent. solution to 100 drops of water, were used. Injections are at tended with a stinging pain. One-half to 1 minim was injected in each point selected, care being taken to pass the needle into, but not under, the skin. In a few moments a spot about the size of ten-cent piece presents an elevated sur face resembling urticaria. A sufficient number of injections were made at each treatment to thus affect the whole area of and treatment repeated at in tervals of one week. Result had been most gratifying. J. T. McShane (Amer. Assoc. Jour.; Ind. Med. Jour., May, '9S).
Sulphur preparations are especially useful when much seborrhoea exists. In a few patients sulphur preparations cannot be used, owing to the irritation caused. Sulphur may be employed in the following ways: Sulphur-soap: with hot water, the suds being allowed to dry on to the face. Sulphur-baths.
Sulphur-lotions: hot water with 10 to 60 drops for every one-half glass of liquid potassium polysulphide.
An effective method of using sulphur is the following:— After washing with hot water and soap, the following mixture is applied with a camel's-hair brush:— The coating is left on during night time and washed off in the morning with an emulsion of almond-oil, and the skin is covered with oxide-of-zinc or bismuth subnitrate ointment powdered over with fine starch.
When the skin becomes irritated, the sulphur paste should be discontinued and the zinc ointment applied alone until the irritation has disappeared.
The following are useful:— 13 Sulphate of zinc, Sulphuret of potassium, of each, 1 drachm.
Water, 4 ounces.
Precip. sulphur, 4 drachms.
Ether, 4 drachms.
Alcohol, enough to make 4 fluid ounces.
1; Precip. sulphur, 2 drachms. Gum tragacanth, 20 grains. Camphor, 20 grains.
Lime-water, 2 fluidounces.
Water, enough to make 4 fluid ounces.
Sulphur ointments are usually made in the proportion of 1 in 10, with benzo ated lard, simple cerate, vaselin, vaselin and lanolin, lanolin and sweet almond oil or olive-oil, or castor-oil and cacao butter.
To the sulphur may be added oxide of zinc in equal parts; borax, 1 to 20; salicylic acid, 1 to 50; naphthol, 1 to 10 or 1 to 20; resorcin or camphor, 1 to 20 or 1 to 40. They may be perfumed with essence of rose, bergamot, or balsam of Peru if desired.
Sulphur soaps are sometimes more convenient.
The following may be used:— Soap and precipitated sulphur, equal parts.
Soap, precipitated sulphur, and juni per-oil, equal parts.
Soap, precipitated sulphur, and lard, equal parts.
Naphthol may be added to the first of the series.
The "scaling" method by the various medicated soaps advocated. The soap is applied by lathering well into the skin, and then partly removing it with luke warm water, and allowing the remainder to dry into the skin. The soap contain ing some combination of resorcin, sali cylic sulphur, and balsam of Peru (Eich hoff) gives the best results. Julius (Dermat. Zeitsch., Nov., '99).
Among other local treatments recom mended are the application to the pust ules of tincture of iodine, carbolic acid, nitrate of silver, salicylic acid, or resor cin. An ointment of ichthyol, 1 to 4 or 1 to S, is also useful.
Resorcin has been made use of in the treatment of ichthvosis and acne. W. Allan ,Tarnieson (London Lancet, Sept. 12, '91).
Results following the application of pure carbolic acid to each pustule most satisfactory. Very bad cases are soon benefited if the applications are care fully made. 1'. Abrahams (Brit. Jour. of Berm., Oct., '94).
Resorcin-sublimate paste of great value. Unna (Brit. Jour. of Derm., Oct., '94).
The following resorcin paste is recom mended:— Resorcin, 2 to 3 parts. Zinc oxide, Starch, of each, 5 parts. Vaselin, 12 parts.—M.
This paste may remain on a day and a night and then be removed with a piece of cotton. Cure is said to be speedy, occurring in three or five days.