Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-01

out on the skin of the hands,
between the fingers; splintering
and scruffiness of the finger
nails and toenails may be due
TO this cause.
Many people carry for years,
practically for life, red itchy
skin Of the arm pits, and be-
sides, there is the circular,
sharply demarcated eruption in
the groin known as dhobie itch,
both forms of ringworm.
Even the books on derna-
tology do not emphasize that
the itching Of the ear canal
which is so annoying to great
many people. is in 80 per cent
of eases due to this form of in
lection, and that pest of itching
around the skin of the rectum,
the disease known as pruritus
ami. is of the same class.
HpINGWORM" scientifically
~ is a vegetable mold called
the hyphomycetes or tricophy-
ton.
When scraped off the skin
and seen under the microscope,
this fungus looks like a lacy
network of fine threads of spun
glass.
There are literally hundreds
OF varieties of this tricophyton.
have been shown a book by
a dermatologist which describes
over 800 species.
They are all OF the same
family, but differ slightly in
their chemical reactions. which
makes for such a variety of
manifestations on the skin and
also difficulty in treatment, be-
cause on account of variability
Of chemical reactions, an anti
septic which will destroy one
kind has no effect on another.
Most cases of chronically itch
ing ear canals due 10 ring
worm infection can be cured by
the application Of nearly any
solution that has alcohol in il.
My biologist tells me that this
has TO be applied by some one
else-that / cannot do it my
self even though ! am a doctor.
because whoever does il has to
see the patches Of skin involve
ment and make the application
directly TO them.
DRURITIS ami is in all cases
l. complicated and due to a
number of causes such as over
weight, high starch diet, fis-
Sures, hemorrhoids and psy-
Geological factors tension
influenced.
But in spite of that. the
statement of modern research
that 90 per cent of cases are
associated with tricophyton fun
gus infection and 90 per cent
of the severity is due not to
assures or hemorrhoids. as was
the older teachings, but to the
activity of the fungus, is gen.
orally accepted as true.
The condition of the skin
the moist. warm soils ideal
for fungus growth.
In treatment all these factors
must be taken into account, but
with especial emphasis on
eradication of the tricophyton
infection. the favorite applica-
ton being Castellani's carbol
fuchsin paint.
QUESTIONS. ANSWERS
c. W.-Please give me the
cause, symptoms and cure of
Burgers disease.
Answer-Buerger's disease Is
due to an occlusion of the ar
teries of the leg. 1t has been
ascribed to the excessive use of
tobacco.
The symptoms are pain and
poor circulation in the skin of
the feet and toes.
There is no certain cure. but
a great deal can be done by
giving up otbacco and the use
of postural exercises in which
the feet are alternately elevated
and lowered.
M. F. B.-Would a spastic
colon or spactic constipation
cause pain in the lower abdo-
men? If so. what would you
advise for relief?
Answer-A spastic colon will
cause pain in the lower abdo-
men. For relief I would ad-
wise a bland diet without rough
age and complete abstinence
from caiharticr and nnnrnaS