Page:Archives of dermatology, vol 6.djvu/415

 AMERICAN DERMATOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION. 403

must first be made to the third edition of Bumstead's "pathology and treatment of venereal diseases,"* which still justly retained its popularity with the profession. Damon's "photographic illus- tions of skin disease"f was also published this year, but the por- traits were not of a character of art calculated to win favor with those familiar with these diseases.

During this year there was also established at the Massachusetts General Hospital a special ward for skin diseases, containing twelve beds, in charge of Dr. James C. White, while in the St. Louis Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. T. F. Prewitt was elected pro- fessor of skin diseases.

The year 1870 is, moreover, memorable for the arrival in Boston of a valuable dermatological museum, consisting of duplicates of the more important models in the Hopital St. Louis, Paris The collection was purchased by Dr. Wigglesworth, and consists of many beautiful representations of disease from the hand of the well-known artist, M. Baretta. There are one hundred and seventy-nine models ; of these, one hundred and thirty-four portray non syphilitic and forty-five syphilitic diseases of the skin. Among the rarer affections, four examples of peculiar forms of scrofuloderma, six of lupus, three of lymphangitis, one of pityriasis rubra, and one of that but little understood disease called by the French mycosis fungoide, may be noted.

The last mentioned model shows the head, arm, and forearm, and anterior surface of the trunk, which regions are the seat of variously- sized, apparently soft, flat and prominently-raised, smooth and scaly, circumscribed and diffused, pinkish, fungoid tumors, tuber- cles, and shallow ulcers, the latter discharging a yellowish, sanious fluid. Some of these lesions are the size of coins, while others are as large as the palm of a hand. Over those which have not broken down numerous distinctly-defined, superficial, capillary blood-ves- sels are conspicuous. The patient was a woman aged about 50, but, unfortunately, there is no history. I have called special attention to this case because the subject of fungoid diseases of the skin is one of much interest, and moreover because it has occurred to me that the disease was probably the same as that which I brought before the Association at a former meeting, with the title "inflam- matory fungoid neoplasm." This costly and valuable collection was in 1873 donated by Dr. Wigglesworth to Harvard University. I believe that no catalogue of the museum has as yet been pre- pared.

In this connection brief reference may be made to another collec- tion of models, of which, in 1868, the Mutter Museum of the Col- lege of Physicians of Philadelphia became the possessor. It com- prises about one hundred and thirty pieces illustrative of diseases of the skin and syphilis. The value of dermatological museums, com- prising models from various countries, for purposes of study and
 * Philadelphia, 1870. f Boston, 1870.