Rob (Kentucky) on 07/13/2026

ONYCHOMYCOSIS.

From the Book: Hand-book of Skin Diseases, p. 431-433, By Isidor Neumann · 1877

By onychomycosis we understand an affection of the substance of the nail, produced by fungus, which presents the following appearance : The nail generally assumes the shape of a claw, curved over the end of the finger, and ends anteriorly in a thickened extremity. Its surface becomes rough and un-even, the color dirty-yellow, and the whole nail is readily movable in its bed. We find also transverse fissures, of more or less light color, and yellowish spots in the centre and on the under surface. The nail flakes off readily, and is shed in crumbling masses.

The cases hitherto observed, whose number is very small, appeared both on the fingers and toes, and were associated, some with favus and some with herpes tonsurans. It would seem that the crusts or scales get beneath the nails from frequent scratching of parts thus affected, and that the fungal elements, finding there the proper conditions for their development, penetrate the nail-substance, whereby the latter is loosened, and suffers the alterations described. As the fungi grow exceedingly slow in this situation, it may readily happen that the herpes tonsurans or the favus has entirely disappeared from the spots where infection took place, while the onychomycosis continues.

Both the powdery and crumbling masses, as also fine sections of the yet dense nail-substance, show chains of conidia, with clearly-marked nuclei, and here and there free cells. The terminal joints of the chains are sometimes club-shaped.

Various views still prevail as to the nature of this fungus.

VIRCHOW (Archiv, IX. Band) describes a dense net-work, from which single broad threads shoot out, whose ends expand into small chains of oval spores ; he also found umbelliferous structures. He concluded that different forms of this affection occur, related both to favus and to herpes tonsurans. The fungi are related to the botrytis or peronospora and penicillium.

BÄRENSPRUNG identifies onychomycosis with herpes tonsurans ; KÜCHENMEISTER and HALLIER with achorion ; KöBNER describes two cases, which he classes with herpes tonsurans. He represents round cells with short concatenations, which, moreover, enlarge clavate, or branch, and finally may end in delicate threads, bearing on their extremities several elliptical conidia. KÖBNER also once discovered a puccinia.

If we examine a portion of diseased nail by making thin sections with a razor through the yellowish portions, we find its substance penetrated by short-jointed branched fungous threads, somewhat compressed, resembling, slightly, a tape-worm, whose sections, scarcely longer than they are broad, have generally a nuclear cell in their interior ; we like-wise see roundish cells of fungus scattered between the lamellæ of the nail, or arranged in groups, most of them likewise containing a small spherical secondary cell in their centre. Here and there we meet with the arthrococcus. The contents appear in other respects to be watery. These cellular fibres display a firm power of cohesion, and, after maceration of a portion of nail in water, they may be moved, hither and thither, by slight pressure on the cover of the slide, without falling into their composite elements, and should therefore be considered as mycelial threads. We do not find any especial collections of micrococcus or bacteria upon or between the cells of the substance of the nail. In cases where the mycelia are less numerous, they may be more clearly seen after soaking the section in a solution of caustic potash (one part to ten).

Treatment. The treatment consists in removing the loose lamellæ of the nail, and employing local baths of **caustic potash (potassium hydroxide) commonly known as “red devil lye” and corrosive sublimate (two grains to the ounce), and in repeated frictions with turpentine.

**Note: Treating Nail Fungus or Infections (Medical Caution)

Turpentine Pure Gum Resin oil possesses natural antifungal properties that can combat toenail fungus. Nail fungus can also be killed when turpentine is applied topically in the area of infection.

Soaking human fingernails or toenails in lye to treat fungus or medical conditions:

DO NOT DO THIS. Lye (sodium hydroxide) is a caustic, corrosive chemical that will cause severe chemical burns and destroy skin and nail tissue.

Vinegar Soak: Soaking nails in a diluted vinegar and water mixture (1 part vinegar to 2 parts water) is a common folk remedy for mild nail fungus, as it creates an acidic environment that can stop fungus from growing.