The dermatic inflammation due to the action of excessive heat or cold, to caustics and other chemical irritants, and to the ingestion of certain drugs.
#What several varieties are commonly described?#
Dermatitis traumatica, dermatitis calorica, dermatitis venenata, and dermatitis medicamentosa.
Under this head are included all forms of cutaneous inflammation due to traumatism. To the dermatologist the most common met with is that produced by the various animal parasites and from continued scratching; in such, if the cause has been long-continued and persistent, a variable degree of inflammatory thickening of the skin and pigmentation result, the latter not infrequently being more or less permanent. The inflammation due to tight-fitting garments, bandages, to constant pressure (as bed-sores), etc., also illustrates this class.
#What is the treatment of dermatitis traumatica?#
Removal of the cause, and, if necessary, the application of soothing ointments or lotions; in bed-sores, soap plaster, plain or with one to five per cent. of ichthyol.
Cutaneous inflammation, varying from a slight erythematous to a gangrenous character, produced by excessive heat (_dermatitis ambustionis_, _burns_) or cold (_dermatitis congelationis_, _frostbite_).
#Give the treatment of dermatitis calorica.#
In burns, if of a mild degree, the application of sodium bicarbonate, as a powder or saturated solution, is useful; in the more severe grade, a two- to five-per-cent. solution will probably be found of greater advantage. Other soothing applications may also be employed. In recent years a one-per-cent. solution of picric acid has been commended for the slighter burns of limited extent. Upon the whole, there is nothing yet so generally useful and soothing in these cases as the so-called Carron oil; in some cases more valuable with 1/2 to 1 minim of carbolic acid added to each ounce.
In frostbite, seen immediately after exposure, the parts are to be brought gradually back to a normal temperature, at first by rubbing with snow or applying cold water. Subsequently, in ordinary chilblains, stimulating applications, such as oil of turpentine, balsam of Peru, tincture of iodine, ichthyol, and strongly carbolized ointments are of most benefit. If the frostbite is of a vesicular, pustular, bullous, or escharotic character, the treatment consists in the application of soothing remedies, such as are employed in other like inflammatory conditions.