Etiology. These new growths have their origin at the seat of some injury (sometimes very slight) to the skin, as the cicatrices of burns, floggings, cuts, or in the lobes of the ears when they have been pierced for the accommodation of ear rings. They are most frequent in middle life and in the colored race.
Pathology.The growth consists of dense fibrous tissue, which involves the corium and extends in the direction of the connective tissue about the blood vessels.
Prognosis. The prognosis is not generally very favorable, although the growths may sometimes disappear spon taneously. The stationary period may extend over years or during life. Occa sionally, after a stationary period of vari able duration, an increase in size takes place.
treatment of these new growths is not very satisfactory. The application of anodyne liniments or hypodermic injections of morphine will generally relieve pain when present.
The administration of large doses of liquor potassie will often relieve the pru ritus. Removal by knife or caustics should not be attempted while the growth is increasing. Fused caustic potash is recommended as best, if any caustic is used. Multiple electrolytic puncture and repeated scarification, making numerous parallel linear cuts crossed at various angles by other parallel linear cuts, have been suggested with the idea of replacing the diseased scar by a healthy one.
The hypodermic administration of thio sinamin produces an immediate disin tegration and elimination of white blood cells. This is followed by leucocytosis, persisting for forty-eight hours. It is in this pathological power that the explana tion of its value in keloid is found, act ing, as it does, in increasing cellular activity in the fixed connectire-tissue cells throughout the body. An hypo dermic solution made by dissolving 10 parts of thiosinamin in 100 parts of a sterilized mixture of water and glycerin are indicated as a full dose into the glutei or triceps muscles every three days. Sinclair Tousey (N. Y. Med. Jour., Nov. 6, '97).
Malignant Degeneration of Scars. The cicatrix of a burn or other exten sive scar may undergo malignant degen eration many years after its formation. Erichsen removed a large cancroid growth from the cicatrix of a burn, on the forearm of a woman, seventy years after the receipt of the injury, which happened in childhood.