>Dear SL
>
>> allergy of some kind to water,
>
>? hydrophobia
>
>Tom
>
>PS how did you get to lurk in the bowels of the mailbase server??
They let old doctors in, it seems, and there one lurks, normally minding
one's own business.
I've found the reference I had in mind: it was an article by a Swiss
dermatologist on the sources of aquagenic itching -- I don't think he went
as far as to say allergy, but it may have been what the present patient, wot
started all this, meant. He says up to a third of dermatology patients
reacte adversely to water, and distiniguishes (1) aquagenic pruritus (2)
aquagenic pruritus of the elderly and (3) that induced by polycthaemia vera.
Bircher AJ. Dermatologia 1990; 181: 83--7
Senior Lurker
>
>
>Come to think of it, what a horrid, malinvention 'aquagenic' is, meaning
the reverse of the author's intent. Weeping eczema might be described as
aquagenic, perhaps but the phrase Dr Bircher wanted is, if not 'prurogenic
aqua', then 'water-associated itching'.
SL
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