Page:Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, volume 1.djvu/309

 Cyllin ointment (25 to 50 per cent.) may induce a tem- porary improvement.

Formalin is very effective for localised patches. The usual 40 per cent, solution is carefully applied to a small portion of the eruption. Formalin, however, often causes severe pain, and a certain degree of inflammation which is best relieved by applications of iced water. Soon after the application of formalin the patches turn dark brown, the colour lasting for a few days, and ultimately becoming clear. Care must be taken not to apply the formalin too freely or to repeat the application too often, otherwise a peculiar form of apigmentation, similar to leucoderma patches, may appear later on — a disfigurement to which coloured patients strongly object.

Tr. Iodine. — Tr. iodine freely applied induces a very marked improvement, which, however, is not permanent. Strong liniment of iodine, as recommended by Manson, is most efficacious.

Chrysarohin. — The repeated application of chrysarobin ointment (gr. 30 to one ounce) may induce a strikingly rapid improvement in cases which are not of long standing; in my experience, however, the eruption recommences a few days or weeks after its apparent disappearance.

Chrysarobin is a toxic medicament ; the patient must be watched and the urine regularly examined. In one of my cases symptoms of absorption appeared after a single application.

Salicylic acid, and niethylsalicylate have very little, if any, action on the fungus.

Resorcin. — Resorcin, alone or mixed with salicylic acid in alcoholic solution and ointments, has very little efficacy. If, however, resorcin be dissolved in Tr. Benzoin Co. (grs. 30 to 80 of resorcin to one ounce of the Tr. benzoin), very good results are obtained, and this is now my routine treatment for Tinea imbricata. It is to be noted that