A Study on the Symptom of Skin Diseases in Group Occurring of Southwest Coast of Taiwan

Abstract

There are two kinds of skin diseases occurring recently in regions on the southwest coast of Taiwan. As the people effected are in groups, so the question has aroused the attention of the public. The main pathogenic factor accountable for both kinds of diseases is defective underground water, particularly when containing an excessive quantity of arsenic.
The first kind can be taken as Arsenical Keratosis, while the other as Arsenical Gangrene.
This report is a presentation of the facts on the distribution as to how the diseases have become a problem of the community; what are the causes of the diseases and what preventive have been adopted; with special emphasis being laid on the seriousness and complexity of Black Foot Disease, the possible conditions which are accountable for the development of this disease, and the reason for having taken this name.
Discussions are here made with a view of clarifying the question why the disease in two different localities having the same causes of the diseases which may be attributable to the production of the disease are accompanied by evidently different symptoms.
In the same village where people drink water from the same shallow wells, and people of the same family having the same living conditions, why is it some people are affected by diseases but some are not? And it carries a report on different incubation period of the two kinds of different rare diseases which have drawn so much attention of the public.