Hidrosadenitis Axillaris of Verneuil

Lymphoedema of the penis and scrotum as a sequela of chronic skin infection

“…Although various conservative remedies have been suggested for hidradenitis suppurativa, the definitive therapy is wide surgical excision, as Lane [ 7 ] adopted.…”

Perianal hidradenitis suppurativa: early surgical treatment gives good results in chronic or recurrent cases

“…18,19 This may be predictable in the presence of many sinuses lined by squamous epithelium. These findings indicate that sinus tracts with inflammation persisted chronically.…”

“…For the treatment of PHS, conservative therapies are usually ineffective against advanced cases. 18,19 This may be predictable in the presence of many sinuses lined by squamous epithelium. Minor surgical procedures such as incision, drainage, exteriorization, curettage of sinus tracts or simple excision of troublesome areas are often followed by recurrences.…”

The nature and consequence of Karl Marx’s skin disease

“…A search for illnesses in the correspondence sections of the MECW , volumes 38–46, revealed that although the skin lesions were called ‘furuncles’, ‘boils’ and ‘carbuncles’ by Marx, his wife and his physicians, they were too persistent, recurrent, destructive and site‐specific for that diagnosis; my guess was that Marx had hidradenitis suppurativa. This recurrent infective condition arises from blockage of apocrine ducts opening into hair follicles, mostly in axillary, mammary, inguinal, perianal and genital skin 8–11 . Although individual lesions may resemble boils, and are often misdiagnosed as such, certain associated clinical features make the correct diagnosis, and I found all of them in the original correspondence.…”

“…Marx’s physicians’ various diagnoses of ‘boils’, ‘furuncles’ and ‘carbuncles’, and their contemporary treatment with arsenic, poultices and lancing, are not surprising: hidradenitis suppurativa was described, somewhat hesitantly, between 1854 and 1864 8 in France; and unlike wine, intellectual property travelled poorly across the channel to where Marx spent most of his adult life: the first English publication was in 1933 9 . Perhaps the reason Marx’s skin disease has only now been diagnosed is that few physicians are familiar with hidradenitis suppurativa and even fewer dermatologists are familiar with Marx.…”