The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-10-10

modern textbook Of dematology IS
confused. But the common skin
eruptions fall into a few classes
and the general principles Of the
method of treatment are relative
: ~ simple and easy TO remember.
The normal reaction Of the I'M
broken skin is acid, varying from
a hydrogen ion concentration OF
4 to 6. But when the skin is irri-
tated to the point Of Inflammation,
and an eruption which breaks the
surface occurs with seeping and
exudation and blister formation,
the reaction of the surface turns
TO alkaline. Hence the efficacy OF
solutions of boric acid or alumni
nun acetate in these conditions
can be understood.
They act in the most common
skin eruption Of adults, which may
be called the dermatitis-eczema
group, no matter what the cause.
It may be due to an occupatioral
contact, or an internal food al
leYgy, or infection, or the result
of a constitutional disease like
diabetes, but immediate relief is
obtained by altering the surface
reaction.
Boric Acid Solution
Saturated solutions of boric acid
are usually best applied hot. The
heat should be retained by cover
ing the saturated gauze COM
presses with oiled silk. Solution of
aluminium acetate, on the other
hand, is best used cold. One table
spoonful of the salt in a pint of
cold water is usually well toler-
ated, but it is we'll TO remember
that congresses Of this character
should be kept wet otherwise they
are irritating and do more harm
than good.
These congresses should not be
allowed to remain on the patients
skin over night. When they are
removed an astringent lotion, such
as calamine lotion, is applied. In
the official preparation the amount
of calamine is too much and it is
likely to cake during the night, so
it should be diluted with an equal
part of distilled water.
When all oxidation has stopped
a change in medical applications
can be made to ointments, pastes
or oily suspensions. These are de-
signed to promote the restoration
of a normal skin as soon as pos
sible. Zinc oxide ointment is an
example of tried and true rem
edy of this sort. Substances which
strengthen the newly formed cpl
dermis, such as ichthyol or re-
sorcin, may be added TO the zinc
oxide ointment.
In the acute stage Of weeping
eczema-dermatitis which cannot
be controlled by small congresses
it is permissible to immense the
patient in a bath tub of warm wa
ter to which boric acid has been
added in order to insure an acid
reaction. Soaps should not be per-
mitted. Here is a neglected house
hold remedy which in these days
of doctor shortage can be employed
by the house mother.
"a very few drugs suffice TO
treat all diseases of the skin"
writes an eminent dermatologist
"They are listed in the United
States Pharmacopoeia and Ma
tional Formulary. Every druggist
has them on his shelves. They are
efficient and economical"
Besides those l have mentioned
are ammoniated mercury for pus
infections, salicylic acid white
fields ointment), or potassium
permanganate for ringworm, and
sulphur for scabies.
There is besides in the way Of
treatment, diet, which should be
bland for skin diseases, and sum
light for stimulation.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
l. E. S.:-I have a friend who
contends that ice water or iced
drinks Of any kind are bad for a
person or bad for digestion. Is
Ibis true?
A.: I should think your friend
could look around him in America
and see that iced drinks are not
bad for people, because we all
drink beverages much colder than
Europeans or Asiatics, yet we re-
main pretty healthy. The stom.
ach has a remarkable capacity
of reducing all foods and fluids to
h11y favs wara+ trra yart - JI,,