Calcium Chloride Necrosis of the Skin

Abstract
Judging by the paucity of published reports, calcium chloride necrosis of the skin is an uncommon dermatologic lesion. To date only three cases due to concentrated calcium chloride solution seem to have been described and none as yet in the American literature. The first case was reported by Oppenheim1in 1935. His patient, an ice cream maker, developed papules and small nodules on the foot and leg at areas of contact with a concentrated calcium chloride solution used in freezing ice cream. Oppenheim also studied the effect of topically applied and injected calcium chloride on the rabbit's skin. One of his conclusions was that simple application of calcium chloride powder did not produce lesions and that prior scarification was necessary for this purpose. Heppleston2in 1946 described ulcers and nonulcerated papules in workers due to contact with 40% calcium chloride solution used for spraying