Strophulus

The disease is popularly known as the red gum, tooth-rash, etc.; some authors look upon it as the lichen of infants. This is wrong, as lichen is an affection of the papillary layer of the derma, about the hair follicles, while strophulus is at the sweat follicles, and is characterized by the appearance of small red or white papules, varying in size from pins' heads to small millet seeds; they are irregularly dispersed or slightly aggregated, and intermingled with more or less erythema; are attended with itching, sometimes slight moisture, and desquamation. It makes its appearance on the more exposed parts, the face especially, but also the neck, arms, and limbs, in successive crops. There are two forms of the affection. One variety, mostly due to overclothing, appears in infants .a few weeks old. The other variety is frequently met with during the period of dentition, lasts longer than the former variety, and is often associated with gastro-intestinal disturbance.