Leprosy : $b in its clinical & pathological aspectsHansen, G. Armauer (Gerhard Armauer)
Science
Leprosy : $b in its clinical & pathological aspects
Hansen, G. Armauer (Gerhard Armauer)
Leprosy
From Dr. Englemann, in Kreuznach, Dr. Danielssen got a sample of
Kreuznach salt, and directions how to use it. The bath was prepared
thus: 3 lbs. of common salt, 4 lbs. of Kreuznach salt, 264 litres of
water. Temperature 35°C. After the lapse of a week the Kreuznach salt
was increased to 6 lbs., after a fortnight to 12 lbs., and after three
weeks to 16 lbs. The patient remained from one-and-a-half to two hours
in the bath, and no other medicine was taken. Forty-six baths were used
by five lepers, four tuberous, and one anæsthetic. At the same time,
a young man with a recent eruption of leprosy was sent to Kreuznach
to take the baths under Dr. Englemann’s directions. After a year Dr.
Danielssen saw him again, when no improvement was to be observed, and
the same was the result in the cases treated here.
_Mercury_ in its different combinations has been tried internally and
externally, but instead of producing any good effect it has rather made
the condition of the patient worse.
_Iodine_ has been used as iodide of potassium, and externally as
tincture of iodine and iodine ointment. At the beginning of his studies
in leprosy Dr. Danielssen had great confidence in iodine, but he soon
learned what a very dangerous remedy it was in this disease. Even small
doses of iodine produce new eruptions of leprous tubers or patches,
and Dr. Danielssen therefore ultimately used it as a test in cases of
apparent cure. When a patient was considered cured, he gave him iodide
of potassium, and if no new eruption developed, the cure was considered
complete.
Some years ago Dr. Unna, of Hamburg, claimed to have cured three
lepers, and Dr. Danielssen, using Unna’s method, cured one. The
treatment is the following: Internally, pills of ichthyol in increasing
doses; externally, the rubbing of arms and legs morning and evening
with an ointment of 10 per cent. pyrogallic acid in lanolin, and
the breast, back, neck, and cheeks, with 10 per cent. chrysarobin
in lanolin; the covering of the forehead and chin with a plaster
consisting of chrysarobin, salicylic acid, and creasote, which is
changed every second or third day. This treatment was continued from
December 16th, till January 11th; then followed a few days of plain
baths, and then the same treatment again. In the Lungegaard’s hospital
Dr. Unna’s treatment was tried by thirteen lepers, five nodular, four
anæsthetic, and four mixed. The results of the treatment were not so
satisfactory as in Dr. Unnas hands, and there was certainly no question
of a cure.
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