Among 2,534 patients treated for varicella at the Willard Parker Hospital over a five year period between Jan. 1, 1929, and Dec. 31, 1933, 133, or 5.2 per cent, as previously reported,1 suffered complications. Of these, 76, or 57 per cent, suffered from infection of the surface of the body involving the skin, mucosa, subcutaneous tissues or glands. It is thus evident that infections of the surface of the body constitute one of the major considerations in the care of patients with chickenpox.
Listed in the order of frequency, the surface complications observed were:
Patients Cutaneous abscess................................ 24 Lymphadenitis................................... 16 Cellulitis of skin and subcutaneous tissues........ 16 Erysipelas....................................... 7 Gangrene of skin and subcutaneous tissues.......... 4 Impetigo........................................ 4 Paronychia........................................ 3 Conjunctivitis.................................. 3 Balanitis....................................... 2 Hordeolum....................................... 1 Blepharitis...................................... 1 Stomatitis...................................... 1 Parotitis...................................... 1
ERYSIPELAS
Erysipelas occurred in 7 cases. In 6 it appeared surrounding a varicella lesion, evidently arising as