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22
A recurrence of the complaints occurred later in the year and
also in the early part of 1924. In all cases the symptoms were
similar. There was an eruption on the neck, and lower part of the
face; the eruption was of an irritating character and persisted for a
considerable time. In some of the cases in which the fur was not
suspected, there was a recurrence of the symptoms, but invariably
the eruption disappeared when the sufferer ceased wearing the fur.
Frequently there was a difficulty in obtaining the fur which was
supposd to be the cause of the trouble. In most cases, when the
purchaser complained to the seller, the fur was exchanged and
could not be traced.
When the fur composed only the collar of a cloth coat, the
difficulty of tracing was enhanced. As an instance of the difficulties
encountered, when enquiries were made into the origin of one coat
it was found that the completed coat was bought in the City of
London. The fur was bought from a furrier in another area, and
the coat was made on outworkers premises in a third area.
We were fortunate in obtaining some of the implicated furs.
These were sent to the Ministry of Health. Arrangements were
made by the Ministry for the examination of these furs by an
eminent chemist.
As far as could be gathered, no cases of illness were found
among the workers in these particular furs, but the difficulty of
tracing was so great that no significance is attached to this fact.
Moreover, the conditions under which the rash appears need not be
present in the case of workers.
The work of Dr. Prosser White of Wigan throws an interesting
light upon these fur rashes. Dr. Prossor White is an eminent
dermatologist, and has been carrying out investigations into
the rashes which occur among fur workers, and bis conclusions
have an important bearing upon rashes in fur wearers. I had the
opportunity of seeing his original photographs of rashes in fur
workers and the experimental rashes he had induced on himself
and others, and these rashes appeared to be identical with those
which had appeared amongst the wearers of the furs.
The cause has not been found in all cases, but Dr. Prosser
White's work has established the probability that the rashes which
were complained of by wearers of furs in this district iast year
were caused by one or more of the constituents of the dyes used in
the industry.
It was noticed that the victims had worn furs which had been
dyed, and in most instances, these furs simply formed the collar
of a cloth coat.
The principal culprit is the coney seal, but the list of counterfeits
recognised by the Fur and Skin Trading Section of the