XCIII. SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF NEURODERMATITIC LESIONS

Abstract

In a preliminary report two of us (Engman and MacCardle¹) described the mineral changes in the lesions of chronic disseminated neurodermatitis skin, which we believe is characterized by a localized magnesium deficiency. The study of the histologic features of this disease was published in a separate paper,² and we now wish to present a detailed account of the spectrographic analysis. Whether or not mineral changes occur in the development of a lesion of neurodermatitis has not been determined heretofore, largely because of the technical difficulties involved in detecting and measuring such minute quantities of an element as obtain in small biopsy specimens of skin. These obstacles can be partly overcome by use of a method of spectrographic analysis developed by McMillen and Scott³ and since improved by Scott. The primary shock tissue in neurodermatitis has never been determined definitely, and in view of the fundamental importance of