EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES IN ECZEMA

Abstract

The theories as to the cause of eczema are well known and need not here be reviewed. From clinical observations, it appears that the skin of patients with eczema is in an increased state of sensibility. Weidenfeld,¹Schultz,²Hammer,³Bloch⁴and others haveshown that the uninvolved skin of the majority of patients with eczema reacts to externally applied irritants in a much greater percentage than normal persons. Few experimental studies, with the exception of those of Luithlen. have been reported in the direction of determining the pathogenesis of an increased sensibility of the skin as well as conditions that decrease such sensibility. In this work, Luithlen⁵employed cats and rabbits. Varying dilutions of croton oil were painted on the shaven skin of these animals the resulting reactions being compared to those following similar applications to another skin area of the same animal subsequent to experiments