Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: skin disease

  • Another look at the medical problems of Jean-Paul Marat: Searching for a unitary diagnosis

    Howard FischerUppsala, Sweden Jean-Paul Marat (1743-1793) was a practicing physician, scientist, and a leader of the French Revolution. He also suffered from a chronic, intractable skin condition, which troubled the last five years of his life. A tormenting itch caused him to spend whole days1 in his custom-made bathtub, from which he wrote revolutionary articles…

  • Self-esteem and skin diseases

    Bebeyi AbiodunNigeria When I was a little girl, I looked for angular objects to help me scratch my legs. The itch and disgust encroached on my everyday life. I always wore my socks pulled up even though it meant I did not look like the cool kids at school. In time, I started wearing long…