[Scabies and syphilis--aspects of treatments of skin- and venereal diseases at Copenhagen Kommunehospital 1863 - 92].

Abstract

Scabies and syphilis was very common but social unaccepted diseases in the later part of the 19th century. In 1892, 1,210 patients with syphilis and 106 children suffering from scabies were treated at the Kommunehospital in Copenhagen. Case records from patients admitted March 19th and September 19th, form the study basis of different aspects of scabies and syphilis treatment in the period. In the mid 19th century different soap treatments were the common cure for scabies. In the 1880s the cure became napthollinement, powdering with flour followed by rapping the patient in a sheet. Throughout the whole period experiments with medicine and thereby the patients was the norm. The treatment of syphilis consisted of different forms of mercury cures combined with bathes. Admission time was long and the patient was rarely cured. Progress in the treatments of both diseases was made in the daily work with patients. Access to knowledge, economy, the effort of the physician and the relationship between the different professions and groups in the hospital influenced and formed the process.