Histologic studies on the plancha or infiltration method of leprosy treatment

ABSTRACT

1- Leprotic lesions infiltrated once or a few times with the iodized Hydnocarpus wightiana ethyl esters as made at Culion show, 24 hours after such injection, polymorphonuclear and large mononuclear exudation, with fibrin deposit and degeneration of the exudate cell (Section I). 2- Leprotic lesions similarly injected for many months show, histologically, marked reduction of the lepromatous tissue and fragmentation of the bacilli, as compared with similar control lesions which have been subjected only to the influence of simultaneous intramuscular injections. In these treated lesions are found large mononuclear leucocytes containing peculiar yellowish globules ("globulated cells"), not seen in untreated lesions. (Section I). 3- The particularly rapid effect of the infiltration method of treatment is due evidently to local action, whether this be the reaction to irritation, or the greater concentration of the drug - which may have a specific effect on the bacillus - or both. (Section I). 4- The skin of non-lepers similarly infiltrated with the iodized hydnocarpus ethyl esters, shows 24 hours after an injection an acute reaction similar to that seen in a leproma. (Section II)...