(B) DERMATITIS FROM ANIMAL IRRI TANTS.—Among cases of dermatitis ven enata of animal origin may be included the cutaneous inflammations caused by the stings and bites of insects, such as bees, wasps, fleas, bed-bugs, lice, and mosquitoes. The inflammatory effects vary in different persons. While in most cases the bite of a mosquito will produce simply a small, itching papule, in others, large red, painful lumps are raised, which give rise to great discomfort and often alarm. The treatment is purely symp tomatic. Alkaline lotions are generally most effective. [See WOUNDS, POISONED. ED.] Dermatitis Medicamentosa.
Definition.—Inflammation of the skin caused by the action of medicinal agents taken into the system.
Very many medicines when adminis tered for therapeutic purposes pro duce, among other by-effects, inflamma tion of the skin. This may find ex pression in erythematous, papular, vesic ular, bullous, tubercular, or ulcerative lesions. IS'ro distinctive diagnostic marks can be given for these eruptions, but the occurrence of any eruption, not readily explained by other causes, should lead to an inquiry concerning the possible effect of medicines ingested. Thus, an
eruption almost identical in appearance with that of scarlet fever at times fol lows the administration of quinine.
[i have seen this twice in the same subject, who had already passed through an attack of scarlet fever. GEORGE H.
In the quinine eruption the high fever and sore throat of scarlatina are absent. A billions eruption, resembling pemphigus, may follow the ingestion of iodide of potassium, which drug may also produce tubercular, pustular, and ulcer ative lesions. A papulo-erythematous eruption, suggestive of measles, occa sionally follows antipyrine. Copaiba may cause a macular eruption resem bling- the erythematous syphilide. The scarlatiniform rash of belladonna is well known. In some susceptible subjects opium preparations, in addition to itch ing, may also give rise to an nrticarial or erythematous eruption.