Itch

“ About twenty-four hours later the part begins to itch again, and in a few minutes a hard, rounded, deep-red papule appears, and is quickly surrounded by an area of œdematous skin. The formication is intense, and in the affected area, while the ordinary sensations of touch are dulled, those of temperature and painful feelings are exaggerated. In two or three hours the itching diminishes and the œdema disappears, leaving a small, red papule, which itches but little. ”

“ Sometimes a scurfy itch ensues, and sometimes little spots appear. The body becomes remarkably weak, and sensibly falls away, and the colour of the skin gets a disagreeable tawny hew; which is most remarkable, together with other emaciated features in the patient’s countenance. ”

“ That Species of the Itch where it forms small Ulcers or Pustules in the Skin, is the worst Kind, and most contagious, and seems to take its Rise from the common Itch continuing long, and making its Way deeper into the Skin. The Cure is the same, only this requires more frequent Unctions, and those to be continued longer, than before the Disorder has taken such deep Root. ”

“ He didn't seem to hear me. "Those puffs would be just another annoyance except for the fact that those little rootlets evidently work on the nerve endings of the body just enough so they don't hurt but itch instead and, brother, how they do itch! Makes you wish you had four more hands and someone else to help scratch."
He squirmed in remembrance. "I understand some of the earlier men dug out divots of flesh to get rid of the intolerable itch and to keep from going crazy. It's that bad. Good thing, though, that the spores can't live inside the body. ”

“ Mange as applied to animals is the same as itch in human beings, being beyond question caused by a parasite burrowing into the skin, resulting in the falling out of the hair, and sometimes in an exudation of an offensive-smelling pus, itching to such a degree that the patient scratches continuously. ”

“ Baker's itch. See under Baker. - - Barber's itch, sycosis. -- Bricklayer's itch, an eczema of the hands attended with much itching, occurring among bricklayers. -- Grocer's itch, an itching eruption, being a variety of eczema, produced by the sugar mite (Tyrogluphus sacchari) . -- Itch insect (Zoöl.) , a small parasitic mite (Sarcoptes scabei) which burrows and breeds beneath the human skin, thus causing the disease known as the itch. See Illust. in Append. -- Itch mite. (Zoöl.) Same as Itch insect, above. Also, other similar mites affecting the lower animals, as the horse and ox. ”

“ They say no one has been known to die of any of these skin diseases, but they are weakening and annoying. Itch, ku′-lĭd, is the most common, and it takes an especially strong hold on the babes in arms. ”

“ In order to obviate this tendency experience has taught us that much of the difficulty and nearly all of the risk of contagion may be overcome by rubbing some oily or sticky substance on the skin. By this method the dust and scales are rendered heavier than the air, stick together and will not float. During the scaling period there is a constant itch present which irritates the little patient. ”

“ Whence the secretion of perspirable matter is not decreased, but its appearance on the skin is prevented by its more facile absorption.
3. There is one kind of itch, which seldom appears between the fingers, is the least infectious, and most difficult to eradicate, and which has its cure much facilitated by the internal use of acid of vitriol. This disease consists of small ulcers in the skin, which are healed by whatever increases the cutaneous absorption. The external application of sulphur, mercury, and acrid vegetables, acts on the same principle ”

“ The itching ceases in the day-time, but the eruption lasts all day. Pimples on the left side of the neck; they itch as much, though less inflamed. 20. Numbness of the legs. On rising from a chair one is unable to stand straight.
Fifth day.—Stiffness of the nape of the neck, which prevents one from raising or inclining the head. Pain at the nape of the neck, penetrating to the forehead and causing a numbness and heaviness which carries the head forward. The pimples on the arm and neck scatter gradually. ”

“ Whence these naked ulcers are perpetually exposed to the action of the air on their surfaces, converting their mild purulent matter into a contagious ichor; which not only prevents them from healing, but by its action on their circumferences, like the matter of itch or tinea, contributes to spread them wider. ”

“ Besides these glimpses of the future, you may know something of your fate by a diligent attention to every itching that you may feel in your body. Thus, if the eye or the nose itches, it is a sign you will be shortly vexed; if the foot itches, you will tread upon strange ground ”

“ Pruritus is a functional disease of the skin, the sole symptom of which is itching, there being no structural change. [Pg 245]
Describe the symptoms of pruritus.
The sole and essential symptom is itchiness, usually more or less paroxysmal, and worse at night. There are no primary structural lesions, but in severe and persistent cases the parts become so irritated by continued scratching that secondary lesions, such as papules and slight thickening and infiltration, may result. It is much more common in advanced life—pruritus senilis. ”

“ There may be marked inflammatory exudate, causing the surface of the skin to become excessively moist and more or less itching. Redness, vesicles and pustules may characterize the inflammation. In the chronic form the skin may become thickened and greatly changed in structure. ”

“ Itching, without apparent cause, may be due to parasites, as lice and fleas, and this must always be kept in mind; although debilitated states of the body and certain diseases, as gout and diabetes, are sometimes the source. Commonly, itching is caused by one of the many recognized skin diseases, and is accompanied by an eruption characteristic of the particular disorder existing, and special treatment by an expert, directed to remedy this condition, is the only reasonable way to relieve the itching and cure the trouble. ”

“ The cure which is sought for may either be symptomatic or radical. Various morbid conditions of the body generally may give rise to different symptoms. Thus a gouty condition may manifest itself in one man as eczema of the skin, giving rise to redness and intense itching; in another as neuralgia, causing most severe pain; in a third as bronchitis, producing a distressing cough; in a fourth as dyspepsia, giving rise to flatulence and intestinal disturbance; and in a fifth as inflammation of the great toe, accompanied by redness, swelling and pain. ”

“ It is characterized by pimples, and an intense burning, itching sensation. Rubbing and scratching only irritate the skin, which becomes covered with thin black scabs. A good representation of prurigo may be seen in Colored Plate II, Fig. 6. The itching sensations are sometimes caused by chilling the body, by violent exercise, and heat; allowing the mind to dwell upon the affection aggravates it. ”

“ A violent itching of the nose, foretells trouble and sorrow to those that experience it.
An itching of the lips is a sign that some one is speaking disrespectfully of you.
When you are affected by an itching on the back of your neck, be assured that either yourself or some one nearly related to you is about to suffer a violent death. ”

“ When the human species become unhappily the subjects of this disorder, though in particular instances some variation may be observed, the symptoms are in general a slight pain in the wound, sometimes attended with itching, but always resembling a rheumatic pain ”

“ It is so minute that except by careful searching it cannot be perceived, and it causes an intolerable itching. If the skin were thickly covered with hair, it would be next to impossible to get rid of it. ”

“ The itching of the nose is a sign of bad news, or, as some have it, that "you will be kissed, cursed, or vexed, or shake hands with a fool." If the ear itches, you may expect news from the living; if the face burns, some one is talking about you; when you shudder, a person is walking over the spot where your grave will be ”

“ Eczema.—This is the most common of all skin affections. It is a non-contagious, inflammatory disease of the skin, sometimes acute, but more often chronic, attended with itching and desquamation or loss of cuticle. With the itching may be a feeling of heat and tension in the part.
Eczema is a local disease, brought about by a local irritation in the skin; but, in addition to this, there is generally a predisposing cause, as some disorders of the digestive tract, a bad condition of the blood, and so forth. The skin, like other organs of the body, depends on the whole system for its nutrition. ”

“ When applied over a wound they should not be covered with oiled silk or any impermeable material, since the edges of the wound and the adjacent skin are apt thereby to be rendered irritable and to become covered with little itching pimples. ”

“ The symptom is a violent itching in the tongue and roof of the mouth, which invariably takes place when you are in company with a species of animals called ‘Gossips.’ When you feel a fit of the disorder coming on, take a teaspoonful of the mixture, hold it in your mouth, which you will keep closely shut till you get home, and you will find a complete cure. ”

“ As a general thing, the symptoms are a bad fetor or smell to the breath, frightful dreams, itching about the navel, pain in the belly, and gnawing about the stomach, itching in the nose, frequent dry cough, with tickling in the throat, constant hunger, and yet the system becomes weak, the head generally becomes affected, face pale and of a yellowish cast. ”

“ It may not, however, be improper to suggest means to relieve such a source of suffering as is itching, although unscientific, with the clear understanding that a cure cannot always be expected, but relief may be obtained until proper medical advice can be secured. The treatment to be given will be appropriate for itching due to any cause, with or without existing eruption on the skin, unless otherwise specified. If one remedy is unsuccessful, try others. ”

“ Describe the symptoms and course of prurigo.
The disease first appears upon the tibial regions, and its earliest manifestation may be urticarial, but there soon develop the characteristic small, millet-seed-sized, or larger, firm elevations, which may be of the natural color of the skin or of a pinkish tinge. The lesions, whilst discrete, are in great numbers, and closely crowded. The overlying skin is dry, rough and harsh; itching is intense, and, as a result of the scratching, excoriations and blood crusts are commonly present. ”

“ They are, as a rule, sharply defined, with a smooth, often shining and atrophic-looking surface; are soft, fine or leathery to the touch, on a level or somewhat depressed, and appearing not unlike a piece of bacon or ivory laid in the skin. Occasionally the patches are noted to occur over nerve-tracts. The adjacent skin may be normal or there may be more or [Pg 173] less yellowish or brownish mottling. The subjective symptoms of tingling, itching, numbness, and even pain, may or may not be present.
What is the course of the disease? ”

“ If there is an itching of the body, make it stop by the force of your will. In from three days to three weeks, you can stop the itching sensation at will. Then try the habit of sneezing; stubbornly resist the inclination to sneeze, and you will soon have the mastery. ”

“ Causes.—Gout, diabetes, rheumatism, Bright's disease, dyspepsia, constipation, nervous trouble, heat, cold, strong soaps, acids, alkalies, rubbing, scratching, etc.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Eczema, Lemon or Vinegar for.—"Rub the spots with sliced lemon. This will sometimes relieve the itching. Bathing with vinegar water is better for some as it destroys the germs." The bowels should be kept open, and then constitutional faults removed as the eruption of the skin is but a local manifestation of a functional fault. ”

“ The face and scalp are never invaded, except in infants. Itching is a marked symptom, usually worse at night. In well-advanced cases the secondary symptoms, such as papular elevations, vesicles, impetiginous and ecthymatous pustules, which are often torn by the scratching invoked, the crusts and excoriations of various characters, and a variable amount of cutaneous inflammation, with infiltration and pigmentation, taken together with the presence of burrows, constitute a clinical picture of the disease. ”

“ The teeth are sensitive and set on edge, especially the right upper incisores. Itching in the left ear, with a good deal of ear-wax. 15. Digging pain in the right lung. He raises a bloody mucus. Desquamation on the back of the hand, extending to the nails, where the skin becomes loose [188] and forms hang-nails. Itching at the pubis. Pimples and itching on the back, chest and arms. 20. Colic in the evening, with incarcerated flatulence; relief is obtained by the emission of flatulence. Toothache after eating, with bleeding and sensitiveness of the gums. Pain in the bad teeth. ”

“ It is extremely irritating in the eye, but in other parts of the body, although it causes distressful itching, it is not so irritating as one would expect. It 106sometimes causes swelling, especially in the back of the hand. ”

“ Symptoms.—There is intense itching at the anus, increased by warmth, and contact of the buttocks. The itching grows worse after the patient becomes warm in bed. It may spread and extend to the scrotum, down the limbs and sometimes over the lower back. ”