"WINTER ECZEMA OF THE ARMS"

Abstract

During the past three winters I have seen several private patients with a peculiar eruption which, as far as I have been able to ascertain, has not been previously described. The lesions were limited to the extensor surfaces of the arms and occasionally extended to the forearms and shoulders. They consisted of roughly round and circumscribed dry red scaly patches, varying in size from that of a pea to that of a dime. Itching was marked, moderate or absent and when present followed rather than preceded the appearance of the patches. In all cases the eruption appeared at the onset of cold weather, and in the majority in one or more previous winters there had been a similar eruption which had failed to respond to various types of therapy during the winter but disappeared spontaneously before summer and recurred the following fall. All the patients belonged to the middle or