Acute pemphigus : a contribution to the aetiology of the acute bullous eruptions / by George Pernet and William Bulloch.

  • Pernet, George.
Date:
[1896?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Acute pemphigus : a contribution to the aetiology of the acute bullous eruptions / by George Pernet and William Bulloch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Spinal Cord.—Nothing to be seen. Skim.—The bullas are no longer visible. Lungs.—Congested at the bases. Heart.—Nil. Kidneys.—Capsule easily removed. Healthy (?). Alimentary Canal.—Sub-mucous ecchymoses of the stomach, and especially of the large intestine. ,The two following cases may be added to the above :— Case VII. (Moissenet’s).7 An alcoholic pork-butcher, who succumbed in twenty- four hours. No details. Case VIII. (Henning’s).8 The patient, a weaver, set. 30, did the slaughtering for the village, as no butcher lived in the place. Alcoholic. The patient had been suffering for eight days from an eruption when first seen by Henning. There was an epidemic of measles of a benign type at the time. The Eruption and Course of the Illness.—The man’s condition is described by the author as one of fiirchterlicher Pemphigus. Bullae of various sizes and shapes were present on the hairy scalp, the nucha, the chest and back, the abdomen and thighs. The skin between the bullas was in places of a deep brown. The greater number of the bullae contained dark yellow, stinking pus, and most of them were the size of a walnut. Where they had burst, the excoriated surfaces left behind were black and gangrenous ; this was well seen on the back and buttocks, which also presented thick crusts here and there. The discharge gave rise to severe burning pain, where it came into contact with the skin. The patient coirld scarcely speak, and movement gave rise to convulsions. There was severe headache, and the eyes, mouth, and nostrils were inflamed. Besides this the man complained of great thirst. The pulse was small, quick, and flickering. Diarrhoea and pain on swallowing. From the mouth and nose issued a bloody, frothy mucus. The stench was unbearable. The patient died the following night. Treatment (general).—Tamarind whey as a drink. Concentrated infusion of cinchona with sulphuric acid. Locally.—The attending surgeon to apply decoction of oak bark in sour whey. Moreover, fumigations of vinegar were to be employed, and the windows and doors of the room to be opened every half-hour (the hygienic conditions were horrible). When possible clysters of cinchona bark boiled in whey to be adminis- tered. Comparison of Cases, I.—VIII. Occupation.—All the patients were butchers, and actively engaged in their work as journeymen, with the exception of Case VII., where 7 Vide Horand, loc. cit. 8 Henning, “ Gescliichte eines Pemphigus der am zehnten Tag tbdlich war,” Journ. d. prakt Arzneykunde u. Wundarzneykunde, 1813, Bd. XXXVI., Stiick III., p. 89. D