Dermatotoxicology of sulfur mustard: Historical perspectives from World War I.

Sulfur mustard has been used as a chemical warfare agent for the past century. After its introduction by the Germans in World War I, investigators quickly began studying its impact on the human body including its deleterious effects on skin. This review focuses on two groups in particular who conducted experiments from 1917 to 1918: the United States Army at the American University Experiment Station Laboratories and Torald Sollmann at Western Reserve University. Through this work, these researchers proved far ahead of their time by anticipating dermatologic phenomena not described in the literature until later in the twentieth century. These include regional variation of percutaneous penetration, effect of vehicle on penetration and predicting immunologic contact urticaria. The work conducted by these researchers set the groundwork for much of twentieth century dermatotoxicology.

Contact dermatitis: a historical perspective.

Contact dermatitis is a common skin condition that can have a considerable impact on patient quality of life and function. Historically, contact dermatitis has played a significant role in the evolution of dermatology as the understanding of a relationship between environmental exposure and specific skin disease became more widely accepted. Reports about this relationship can be found throughout the history of humanity, thousands of years ago. The Egyptians were perhaps the first to document this relationship in ancient history, and documentation has also been found in several other cultures and nations such as the Chinese, Indians, Europeans, and American colonizers. The patch test emerged over a century ago and has remained a powerful tool for diagnosing and directing patients. This paper provides historical and curious facts about contact dermatitis.

Medea's Nuptial Gifts: Myth and Biomedical Reality.

In all art forms, Medea is mainly represented as the tragic witch from Colchis (contemporary Georgia), who slaughtered her sons and killed her erotic rival Glauke and her father, King Creon of Corinth, by offering an elaborate poisonous nuptial garment. Euripides described the victims' symptoms as a sudden extreme inflammation, leading anyone coming into contact with the garment to death. In other version, the inflammation is described as pure fire. The symptoms resemble what current medical knowledge describes as an immune contact sensitivity reaction. The passages with medical interest from the opera based on this tragedy are presented in the original musical form as well as some similar film and theater scenes. Magnified images of harmful insect's Medea's nuptial gifts are shown and their action is discussed.

The continuing rise of contact dermatitis, Part 1: The academic discipline.

This article describes the history and development of contact dermatitis as an academic discipline, from early observations documented in ancient Egypt and Greece, to the current medical specialization we know today. Given its essential role in clinical diagnosis, the history of patch testing is also discussed, including the pioneering work of Städeler, von Hebra, Jadassohn, and others. The historical development of some international societies for contact dermatitis is provided, along with some discussion on bibliometric performance in this field. Overall, it can be seen that from humble beginnings, contact dermatitis is now thriving as a specialized field in clinical dermatology.

[Dermatitis Caused by Hair Dye (Quinone Produced by the Action of Aqueous Hydrogen Peroxide on p-Phenylenediamine Hydrochloride), by Juan de Azúa]. / Dermitis producida por una tintura para el pelo. (Quinona resultante de la acción del agua oxigenada sobre el clorhidrato de parafenileno-diamina), por Juan de Azúa.

In the first issue of Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas, Juan de Azúa published a magnificent article on contact dermatitis caused by hair dyes, which reflects his profound knowledge of allergy and how the skin responds to chemical stimuli. It gives a brilliant description of irritative and allergic dermatitis, although without naming the allergic form explicitly. Of note is how he is concerned about the composition of <>; so much so that he contacted the local laboratory to determine their chemical composition and how they work. It is a delight to study the case histories and treatments administered to these 15 patients. During the months of treatment, he reports trying different officinal formulas that, although unknown to most of today's dermatologists, nevertheless managed to cure the patients in the end.

Dermitis producida por una tintura para el pelo. (Quinona resultante de la acción del agua oxigenada sobre el clorhidrato de parafenileno-diamina), por Juan de Azúa / Dermatitis Caused by Hair Dye (Quinone Produced by the Action of Aqueous Hydrogen Peroxide on p-Phenylenediamine Hydrochloride), by Juan De Azúa

En este primer número de Actas Juan de Azúa publica un magnífico artículo sobre la dermatitis de contacto por tintes capilares, comprobándose sus altos conocimientos sobre la alergia y la forma de responderla piel a estímulos químicos. Describe magistralmente las dermatitis irritativas y las alérgicas, aunque a estas últimas no les da esta denominación propiamente dicha. Es de destacar cómo se preocupa por la composición de «estos tintes parisinos» poniéndose en contacto con el Laboratorio Municipal para poder conocer la composición química y su forma de actuar. Es una delicia leer detenidamente las historias y el tratamiento realizado a los 15 enfermos que cita, son meses de tratamientos en los que se alternan diversas fórmulas magistrales desconocidas hoy día por la mayoría de los dermatólogos pero que al final... conseguían curar al enfermo (AU)

In the first issue of Actas Dermo-Sifiliográf icas, Juan de Azúa published a magnificent article on contact dermatitis caused by hair dyes, which reflects his profound knowledge of allergy and how the skin responds to chemical stimuli. It gives a brilliant description of irritative and allergic dermatitis, although without naming the allergic form explicitly. Of note is how he is concerned about the composition of «those Parisian dyes»; so much so that he contacted the local laboratory to determine their chemical composition and how they work. It is a delight to study the case histories and treatments administered to these 15 patients. During the months of treatment, he reports trying different officinal formulas that, although unknown to most of today’s dermatologists, nevertheless managed to cure the patients in the end (AU)

James Clark White (1833-1916) / James Clark White (1833-1916)

James Clark White (1833-1916) fue el primer profesor de Dermatología de Estados Unidos de América. Sus aportaciones más importantes fueron la descripción original de la disqueratosis folicular y una monografía sobre las dermatitis de contacto (AU)

The role of Langerhans cells in allergic contact hypersensitivity. A review of findings in man and guinea pigs. 1976.

Evidence in favor of a role for Langerhans cells in contact allergic hypersensitivity reactions has been reviewed. This includes mononuclear cell to Langerhans cell apposition and damage to some Langerhans cells at sites of specific challenge to a variety of contact allergens. Such apposition occurs in actively sensitized patients and guinea pigs and in passively sensitized guinea pigs. In addition, in passively sensitized guinea pigs, Langerhans cells circulate in dermal vessels resembling lymphatics and are much increased in the dermis after challenge with the contact allergen. These observations, together with the existing knowledge that Langerhans cells occur in the lymph nodes and thymus, suggest that these cells may be involved not only in contact allergic reactions but also in other immunologic reactions, particularly in cell-mediated reactions in the skin.

[History of contact dermatitis and its influence on today's occupational dermatology]. / Geschichte der Kontaktdermatitis und ihr Einfluss auf die heutige Arbeitsdermatologie.

Intolerance to individual substances was first described by Bateman 1817. The modern concept of allergic contact dermatitis was based on studies by Block, who also introduced the diagnostic patch testing 1910. Clinical studies in the 1930's established the frequency of allergic contact dermatitis and the common sensitizers. Irritant dermatitis was not understood until the last decades. The occupational dermatoses were largely neglected until the introduction of social security in 1912. Later many studies have been devoted to this field. Most important in the preventive work has been the establishment of sub-specialized departments of occupational dermatology.