ass of crusting, at other
times a red, raw-looking, weeping surface (_eczema madidans_) is the
most striking feature. Itching is slight or intense, or the subjective
symptom may be a feeling of burning. It is an important clinical type,
usually developing from the vesicular, pustular or other primary
variety.

It is common about the face and scalp in children, and the middle and
lower part of the leg in elderly people.

#What is the course of eczema rubrum?#

Chronic, varying in intensity from time to time.

#Describe the symptoms of fissured eczema.#

The conspicuous symptom is a marked tendency to fissuring or cracking of
the skin (_eczema fissum_; _eczema rimosum_). This tendency is usually a
part of an erythematous or squamous eczema, the fissuring constituting
the most conspicuous and troublesome symptom. _Chapping_ is an extremely
mild but familiar example of this type.

It is especially common about the hands and fingers.

#What is the course of fissured eczema?#

It is more or less persistent, the tendency to fissuring varying
considerably according to the state of the weather, often disappearing
spontaneously in the summer months.

#Describe eczema sclerosum and eczema verrucosum.#

In eczema sclerosum the skin is thickened, infiltrated, hard, and almost
horny. Eczema verrucosum presents similar conditions, but, in addition,
displays a tendency to papillary or wart-like hypertrophy. In both
varieties the disease is usually seated about the ankle or the foot,
developing from the papular or squamous type. They are uncommon, and
obstinately chronic.

#State the nature of the subjective symptoms in eczema.#

Itching, commonly intense, is usually a conspicuous symptom; it may be
more or less paroxysmal. In some cases burning and heat constitute the
main subjective phenomena.

#Is eczema accompanied by febrile or systemic symptoms?#

No. In rare instances, in acute universal eczema, slight febrile action,
or other systemic disturbance, may be noted at the time of the outbreak.

#Is the eczematous eruption (patch or patches) sharply defined against
the neighboring sound skin?#

No. In almost all instances the diseased area merges gradually and
imperceptibly into the surrounding healthy integument.

#What is the character of eczema as regards the degree of inflammatory
action?#

The inflammatory action may be acute, subacute or sluggish in character,
and may be so from the start a