Oscar Wilde's skin disease: allergic contact dermatitis?
During the last years of his life, Oscar Wilde (1856-1900) suffered from a suppurating otitis media as well as from an unidentified skin disease. The eruption was localized to his face, arms, chest and back and itched severely. A new theory is suggested, based on the fact that Wilde almost certainly used a dye to conceal his rapidly graying hair. He sensitized himself to p-phenylenediamine and developed a stubborn allergic contact dermatitis. Patch testing, the only proof of such a diagnosis, had not yet been devised.
Nater
J P
JP
Department of Occupational Dermatology, University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000266:history*; D004739:England; D005060:Europe; D005197:Famous Persons; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D008093:Literature, Modern / Q000266:history*; D008297:Male