“Tinea.”

Common Disease in Tropics

TO how many people does the word “Tinea” convey anything ? Not ten per cent. !

Yet, it is not exaggeration to say that fifty per cent, of the population in the Islands suffer in some form or other from this skin infection which, besides being extremely con tagious, is potentially dangerous and a very un pleasant disease.

In the first stages, “Tinea” does not seri ously affect the patient, so that no particular notice is taken of the condition until more seri ous symptoms are noted. If, however, one men tions “Singapore Foot,” “Toe Rot,” or any of the thousand-and-one names coined by the public to describe the complaint, people start to take notice.

“Tinea” is caused by the infection of the skin, especially in moist places, such as under the arms, between the toes, etc., by a vegetable parasite, allied to the mould that grows on jam, decayed fruit or bread. There are many vari eties of this parasite, the commonest of which are technically known as Tinea Trichophyton and Tinea Albuginea. These fungi are really a type of ringworm—-a nasty name one usually associates with something the cat might get, but not what one would expect to find one’s respected aunt suffering from.

Itching and general discomfort of the feet, tiny itching blisters, cracks and peeling off of the skin, are early common signs of “Tinea.”

Often the area affected feels hot and irritable, and the skin feels as though it is overstretched and dry. Usually the symptoms are made worse by warmth as, for example, when one puts one’s shoes on. The feet and toes are the commonest site of infection, but any part of the body may suffer, even to the ears. If not promptly attended to, all these cases tend to become chronic.

The condition may, and often does, spread from one part of the body to another, and the skin cracks and splits; dirt gets in and causes sepsis.

A more important thing, however, than dan ger to the individual, is danger to the com munity at large, and it must be borne in mind that the spores, or eggs, of these parasites can live for months and even years in damp places, on beaches, in bathrooms and in dressing sheds, where they have been deposited by an infected person. It follows, therefore, that a slightly infected person can infect the whole commun ity and, unfortunately, it does not follow that those infected will be mild cases. On the con trary, they may have the worst type of “Tinea.”

With “Tinea,” as with all diseases, the best time to treat and cure it is in the early stages.

It does not follow that because a disease has not been going long enough to cause the worst symptoms, it can be overlooked. In fact, one of the most terrible afflictions to which the human flesh is heir, Cancer, is, in the early stages, quite painless, but unless immediately treated soon places the victim beyond the aid of medical science.

“Tinea,” though, of courtee, not usually dangerous to life, is a nasty, unpleasant dis ease, which can cause much distress.