N. Kuner et W. Hartschuh, Illustrations of pyoderma gangrenosum in an atlas on dermatology in the early 19th century, HAUTARZT, 51(7), 2000, pp. 519-523
Pyoderma gangrenosum was first described in 1930 by Brunsting, Goeckermann
and O'Leary. Nevertheless we found some illustrations in an atlas on dermat
ology, published by Marie-Nicolas Devergie in the first half of the 19th ce
ntury,which appear to be pyoderma gangrenosum. In addition to discussions o
f typical syphilitic affections of the skin, Devergie's "Clinique de la Mal
adie Syphilitique" includes illustrations of gangrenous ulcers, which appea
red unexpectedly after local and systemic therapy with mercury. Devergie in
terpreted those enlarging ulcers as a side effect of mercury therapy. Thus
we were able to find evidence of pyoderma gangrenosum more than 100 years b
efore first description in 1930. The etiology of this clinical picture is s
till unsettled. The favorite postulate has been a bacterial genesis which w
as the subject of numerous publications until the 1960s.