Piebaldism: rare but all dermatologists have heard this strange term during residency
- Also known as Pityriasis Rosea of Gibert, it was named by a French dermatologist in 1860.
- Dr Camille Gibert (1797-1866) was a student of Laurent Biett, a Swiss dermatologist (who described the collarette of Biett, a sign of secondary syphilis).
- Gibert also made many inoculation experiments being able to demonstrate the contagiosity of secondary syphilis.
- Nowadays. It is interesting to know that this condition although thought to be of viral origin needs to be differentiated from secondary syphilis.
- As for other attributes Gibert [who adopted the modern classification of diseases (according to Robert Willan)] was an excellent teacher, who managed to “keep things simple”
- Gibert died in a cholera epidemic in 1866
- To read more about pityriasis rosea: http://www.globale-dermatologie.com/en/pityriasis-rose-de-gibert-prg.html#.VEoNyufbw4Y
Source of information: Crissey JT el al. Dermatology and Dermatologists (2002). Parthenon Publishing
Related posts