Aetiology of "Immersion Foot"

Abstract
A description of 4 parties of men rescued from the sea after many days in a half-soaked state. There is a swollen stage, then a stage of diminishing edema. Complications such as gangrene, salt-water rash and boils, and duodenitis are observed. Immersion foot bears striking resemblance to peripheral neuritis. It may be regarded as a massive chilling and ischemia of the tissues and these are affected in inverse order of their biol. fortitude, differing in this way from frost-bite in which death to all tissues simultaneously is effected by mechanical ice crystal formation. Treatment of immersion foot is by cool air and measures for active vasodilation. The duodenitis is postulated as due to absorption of toxic substances from the damaged areas.