luggish type?#

The various remedies and combinations (mentioned above) useful in acute
and subacute eczema may often be employed with benefit, but, as a rule,
stronger applications are necessary, especially in the thick and
leathery patches. The following are the most valuable:--

An ointment of calomel or ammoniated mercury; forty to sixty grains to
the ounce.

Strong salicylic-acid ointment; a half to one drachm of salicylic acid
to the ounce of lard.

Tar ointment, official strength; or the various tar oils, alone or with
alcohol, as a lotion, or in ointment form.

Liquor picis alkalinus[B] is a valuable remedy in chronic _thickened_,
_hard_ and _verrucous_ patches, but is a strong preparation and must be
used with caution. It is applied diluted, one part with from eight to
thirty-two parts of water; or in ointment, one or two drachms to the
ounce. In such cases, also, the following is useful:--

[Rx] Saponis viridis,
Picis liq.,
Alcoholis, .......... [=a][=a] ....... [dram]iij. M.

SIG. To be well rubbed in.

[Footnote B:
[Rx] Potassae, ............................. [dram]j
Picis liq., .......................... [dram]ij
Aquae, ................................ [dram]v.

Dissolve the potash in the water, and gradually add to the tar in a
mortar, with thorough stirring.]

In similar cases, also, the parts may be thoroughly washed or scrubbed
with sapo viridis and hot water until somewhat tender, rinsed off,
dried, and a mild ointment applied as a plaster.

Lactic acid, applied with one to ten or more parts of water is also of
value in the sclerous and verrucous types. Caustic potash solutions,
used cautiously, may also be occasionally employed to advantage in these
cases.

Another remedy of value in these cases, as well as in others of more or
less limited nature, is the _x_-ray. Exposures every few days, of short
duration and 4 to 10 inches distance, with medium vacuum tube. This
method has served me well in occasional cases; caution is necessary, and
it should not be pushed further than the production of the mildest
reaction. The repeated application of a high-frequency current, by means
of the vacuum electrodes, is a safer and sometimes an equally beneficial
method.

#Is there any method of treating eczema with fixed dressings?#

Several plans have been advised from time to time; some are costly, and
some require too great attention to details, and are