Dermatitis, or inflammation of the skin, is a term employed to designate those cases of cutaneous disturbance, usually acute in character, which are due to the action of irritants.
Mention some examples of cutaneous disturbance to which this term is applied.
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.
Describe dermatitis traumatica.
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.
What is dermatitis calorica?