Vagabond's disease

By Stuart M. Smith, MD and B. James McCallum, MD

While actually a disease of the absence of a profession, it still belongs on this list. Other names for this disease include Vagrant’s disease or Greenhow’s disease, but the scientific name is actually parasitic melanoderma.

Given vagabonds' propensity for poor hygeine, infestation with body lice was commonplace. Such infestations caused severe itching leading to chronic irritation and inflammation. Subsequent scars become thickened and hardened as well as hyperpigmented. Such a discoloration is referred to as melanoderma.

It's not pretty and it's not clever. One to steer clear of.

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