STROPHULUS is an eruption of pimples upon the skin, which frequently occurs in infants whose health is disordered by the 'irritation of teething or any other cause. Dr. Willau describes the following forums of the disease : 1. S. intertinctus, of which the vulgar name is Red-gum or Red-gown. The eruption in this form consists of vivid-red distinct papules, scattered in varying numbers over the cheeks, the arms, the backs of the hands, or, in some cases, the whole body. After an uncer tain duration the papules disappear, the cuticle separating in scurf ; but very frequently the fading of one eruption is rapidly followed by the appearance of another, which passes, through similar stages, and generally spreads further over the skin. A few of the papuhe iu each eruption sometimes assume -the character of small pustules, a little fluid being formed in their apices : but this commonly disappears with out bursting. The origin of the eruption may usually be traced to disorder of the digestive organs, by a gentle correction of which it may be cured. A sudden repulsion of it by exposure to the cold, or any injudicious remedies, may bring on diarrhtea, and oven severe general illness. In itself it is a disease of no importance.
2. S. tablas differs from the preceding only in the colour of the papuhe, which consist of minute whitish specks, slightly elevated, and usually surrounded by a pale ring of red. They appear in the same situations as those of the first variety, are referrible to a similar origin, and require no other treatment.
3. S. confertus is often called the Tooth-rash, and the Rank Red-gum. It occurs only during the process of teething, and consists (in children of three or four month!' old) of small cloeely-act papule, less vivid but more permanent than those in S. intertinctus. Their usual seat is on the cheeks and sides of the nose ; somethnee they extend to the fore head and the arms, and sometimes large papuko appear upon the loins. If the eruption occurs when the infant is eight or nine months old, it generally assumes a severer form : one or two extensive patches appear on the arms, shoulder, or neck, the papules in each being bard, large, and set No closely, that the wholo surface of the skin seems bright red.
These usually continue for a fortnight, spreading slowly from one part to another, and then fade, leaving the part, after the exfoliatiou of the cuticle, rough and discoloured for a week or two longer. A similar, but more obstinate and painful form of eruption, sometimes appears on the lower extremities and the lower part of the trunk. It is never advisable however to adopt any active treatment for the remedy of this variety of the disease. It commonly continues during the whole of the early poriod of dentition ; but it affords in some measure a safe guard against more serious disorders, and disappears soon after the first teeth have cut through the gums.
4. S. volaticue is characterised by small circular clusters of from six to twelve bright-red papuhe, which break out successively in many different parts of the body, remaining in each for about four days, and then becoming brown and disappearing with scurf. The complaint generally lasts three or four weeks. and passes in successive eruptions over a cousiderablo part of the body. It is attended by slight fever and general disturbance of the system, and is most common in children of from three to six months old.
5. S. candlelit., is distinguished by the papules being Larger than in any other variety. Their surfaces arc smooth and shining, and, their bases not being inflamed, they seem paler than the adjoining skin : they usually last for about a week, and disappear in the same manner as those in the preceding forms. An eruption of this kind is meat common in children a year old, who have shortly before its appearance suffered from some acute disease. It requires no active treatment like all the other varieties of the disorder, it ceases with the irritation from which it has its origin.