Q: In a recent letter, a farmer complained of a lesion on his hand that never seemed to heal. It would crust up and slough off but the sore would remain.
Some years ago my husband, also a farmer, had a similar sounding complaint and was diagnosed with a fairly uncommon fungal infection called sporotrichosis. It is quite difficult to heal, but if left untreated it can be life-threatening. The treatment (with a sort of Blackleaf 40 type fungicide) takes a long time but does the trick. I hope you can reach this man to tell him.
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A: Unfortunately, I do not keep all the envelopes of the letters I get, and do not have this farmer’s address, but I expect he or one of his friends will see this column.
Sporotrichosis is a fungal disease caused by Sporothrix shenchkii. As well as farmers, outbreaks have occurred in nursery workers who handled sphagnum moss. The moss used for potting hanging plants and in rose gardens is a major source of the infection.
Handling baled hay without gloves or long sleeves, or being pricked by a thorn bush, particularly bayberry, can lead to sporotrichosis.
This is most often a skin disease, but can on rare occasions affect the lungs, joints or central nervous system.
The disease can be confirmed by taking a skin scraping from an open sore, growing a culture and examining it under the microscope.
Treatment is with a newer drug, Sporonox, or scientific name itraconazole. There is also an itraconazole cream. Although it is also fungicidal, it is not remotely connected to Blackleaf 40, which is
a toxic substance whose main ingredient is nicotine.
In the old days, Blackleaf was sometimes smeared on poultry roosts to prevent fungal infections in the birds, but as far as I know, it is no longer on the market due to its toxicity. It is also dangerous for cattle, sheep and horses.
Please do not use this stuff to treat any kind of human or animal ailment. A prescription is needed for the proper medication.
A recent study found that listening to soothing classical music can reduce chronic pain and depression. It seems that patients exposed to music experience less pain and use lower doses of painkillers.
Music therapy is being used in the United Kingdom and the United States to treat everything from autism to cancer. Singing is often used in long-term care facilities because it seems to have a beneficial effect for dementia.
Doctors are not sure how music helps, but it seems to reduce the respiration rate and lowers blood pressure. It may also boost the immune system and produce endorphins, which are natural painkillers produced by the body.
Clare Rowson is a retired medical doctor with a practice near Belleville, Ont. Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor regarding medical questions and treatments.
