XCIV. MINERAL CHANGES IN NEURODERMATITIS REVEALED BY MICROINCINERATION

Abstract

Chronic disseminated neurodermatitis is apparently characterized by a cutaneous deficiency of magnesium, as has been determined previously¹ by spectrographic analysis. Evidently, the whole skin of patients suffering from this disorder either is incapable of absorbing biologically essential amounts of this element or loses its capacity for retention of already absorbed magnesium. The unaffected skin of patients with neurodermatitis is histologically different from skin of healthy persons in that the epidermis is acanthotic, hyperkeratotic and hyperpigmented.² In unaffected skin the dermis is densely packed with long ropelike cords of connective tissue fibers of a collagenous nature. It is significant that the entire skin of patients with neurodermatitis is measurably thicker and obviously tougher than that of normal persons. The thickening and hardening are due in part to an increase in fibrous elements in the dermis. Such fibrosis is especially marked prior to the development and after the healing of