The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 403 of 653The first symptom of prurigo is a violent itching as from thesting of an insect ; at the itching place a small induration is safter perceived, which rapidly rises above the skin in the shapea papula. The color is the same as that of the adjoining cuticle.If pricked, this pimple discharges a small quantity of a clear flNew pimples keep constantly breaking out, whereas the formerones, owing to the scratching, impart a changed appearance to theskin. The top of the pimple or papule being lacerated by thescratching, a small quantity of blood oozes out, which dries up othe pimple and forms a small dark scurf, a number of which maybe seen on the skin of persons afflicted with prurigo. As the dislasts longer, the papulre and crusts increase in size, and not unquently the eftused fluid suppurates, causing pustules which formlarger crusts and, by running into one another, undermine portionof the skin, and give rise to lymphangioitis and swelling of thelymphatic glands. In this manner prurigo assumes an exceedinglyvariegated appearance. If the scurfs and crusts fall off, they lecolored marks which, by their number, impart a spotted appearanceto the skin. At the same time the skin usually becomes hypertrophied, especially in the folds of the larger joints. The lesser gwhich occur among young persons, are generally confined to thelower extremities, and are designated as prurigo mitis; the morefully developed form as prurigo fomiicans. The disease remits inthe summer or fall ; in the winter and spring it generally reacheits acme.The consequences to the general organism are less severe than theconstant and distressing itching, which is worse in bed, would leone to suppose. Nutrition is not perceptibly impaired. On theother hand, it not unfrequently happens that the disease becomesintolerable as to drive persons to suicide. The higher grades ofdisease have a peculiar disposition to rapid eftusions of serum,especially into the pleural cavity and the meningse ; in this waymany patients fall victims to the disease, or become mentally dePrurigo. 477ranged. According to Ilebra, these not unfreqnent terminal aftections of prurigo represent the itch-metastases of the ancients, athere is no denying the fact that this view has great probabilitiin its favor. Patients afflicted with prurigo most commonly die otuberculosis, which might likewise suggest the idea of metastasisinasmuch as with the increase of phthisis the itching disappearscompletely. The disease is never contagious.As regards diagnosis, prurigo is distinguished from scabies, withwhich it is most easily confounded, by the circumstance that inprurigo most of the efflorescences and scratched places are foundlocalities where they are either wanting, or else very sparse inscabies, namely on the extensor surfaces of the extremities, moreparticularly on the leg and back.What is otherwise called prurigo, such as prurigo senilis, prurigpedicularis, etc., has nothing in common with true prurigo excepta very violent itching.In regard to prognosis, Ilebra considers the affection altogetherhttp://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt