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The Half-and-Half Nail

The Half-and-Half Nail Abstract That temperamental dignotions, and conjecture of prevalent humours, may be collected from spots in our nails, we are not averse to concede. —Sir Thomas Browne IT HAS long been appreciated that systemic disease can produce changes in the nails. Hippocrates, in his classic description of the clubbing phenomenon in empyema, first directed attention to the systemic onychopathies. A relative spate of descriptive reports in more recent times was begun by J. C. Reil's 1792 notation on white transverse bands and sulci following febrile diseases.1 Gradually, such entities as Beau's lines,2 Mees' lines,3 splinter hemorrhages,4 koilonychia,5 pigmented nails,6 onycholysis,7 Terry nails,8 Muehrcke's striae,9 azure lunulae,10 rubra lunulae,11 platonychia,12 the nail-patella syndrome,13 and the yellownail syndrome,14 came to be recognized as nail signs of diagnostic significance. There are now more than 40 described onychopathies due to systemic illnesses and three monographs focusing on the nails in disease.1517 That certain nail References 1. Reil, J.C.: Unguium Vitia in Convalescentibus a Febre Maligna Observata, Memorabilum Clinicorum , Halae: Litteris trampianis , 2:206-207, 1792. 2. Beau, J.H.S.: Certain Caracteres de Semeiologie Retrospective, Presentes par les Ongles , Arch Gen Med 9:447, 1846. 3. Mees, R.A.: Een Verschijnsel bij Polyneuritis Arsenicosa , Nederl T Geneesk 1:391, 1919. 4. Horder, T.: Discussion on Clinical Significance and Course of Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis , Brit Med J 2:301-311 ( (Aug 28) ) 1920.Crossref 5. Jalili, M.A., and Al-Kassab, S.: Koilonychia and Cysteine Content of Nails , Lancet 2:108-110 ( (Aug 15) ) 1959.Crossref 6. Valero, A., and Sherf, K.: Pigmented Nails in Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome , Amer J Gastroent 43:56-58 ( (Jan) ) 1965. 7. Luria, M.N., and Asper, S.P., Jr.: Onycholysis in Hyperthyroidism , Ann Intern Med 49:102-108 ( (July) ) 1958.Crossref 8. Terry, R.: White Nails in Hepatic Cirrhosis , Lancet 1:757-759 ( (April 10) ) 1954.Crossref 9. Muehrcke, R.C.: The Finger Nails in Chronic Hypoalbuminemia , Brit Med J 1:1327-1328 ( (June 9) ) 1956.Crossref 10. Bearn, A.G., and McKusick, V.A.: Azure Lunulae: An Unusual Change in the Fingernails in Two Patients With Hepato-Lenticular Degeneration (Wilson's Disease) , JAMA 166:904-906 ( (Feb 22) ) 1958.Crossref 11. Terry, R.: Red Half-Moons in Cardiac Failure , Lancet 2:842-844 ( (Oct 23) ) 1954.Crossref 12. Kleeberg, J.: Flat Finger-Nails in Cirrhosis of the Liver , Lancet 2:248-249 ( (Aug 11) ) 1951.Crossref 13. Brixey, A.M., Jr., and Burke, R.M.: Arthro-Onycho Dysplasia: Hereditary Syndrome Involving Deformity of Head of Radius, Absence of Patellas, Posterior Iliac Spurs, Dystrophy of Finger Nails , Amer J Med 8:738-744 ( (June) ) 1950.Crossref 14. Samman, P.D., and White, W.F.: The "Yellow Nail" Syndrome , Brit J Derm 76:153-157 ( (April) ) 1964.Crossref 15. Samman, P.D.: The Nails in Disease , Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas, Publisher, 1965. 16. Berry, T.J.: The Hand as a Mirror of Systemic Disease , Philadelphia: F. A Davis Company, 1963. 17. Pardo-Costello, V., and Pardo, O.A.: Disease of the Nails , ed 3, Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas, Publisher, 1960. 18. Hudson, J.B., and Dennis, A.J.: Transverse White Lines in the Fingernails After Acute and Chronic Renal Failure , Arch Intern Med 117:276-279 ( (Feb) ) 1966.Crossref 19. Bean, W.B.: A Discourse on Nail Growth and Unusual Fingernails , Trans Amer Clin Climat Assoc 74:152-167, 1963. 20. Lindsay, P.G.: The Half and Half Nail , J Lab Clin Med 66:892 ( (Nov) ) 1965. 21. Terry, R.: The Onychodermal Band in Health and Disease , Lancet 1:179-181 ( (Jan 22) ) 1955.Crossref 22. Morey, D.A.J., and Burke, J.O.: Distinctive Nail Changes in Advanced Hepatic Cirrhosis , Gastroenterology 29:258-261 ( (Aug) ) 1955. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of Internal Medicine American Medical Association

The Half-and-Half Nail

Lindsay, Philip G.
Archives of Internal Medicine , Volume 119 (6) – Jun 1, 1967
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References (22)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1967 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0003-9926
eISSN
1538-3679
DOI
10.1001/archinte.1967.00290240105007
Publisher site
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Abstract

Abstract That temperamental dignotions, and conjecture of prevalent humours, may be collected from spots in our nails, we are not averse to concede. —Sir Thomas Browne IT HAS long been appreciated that systemic disease can produce changes in the nails. Hippocrates, in his classic description of the clubbing phenomenon in empyema, first directed attention to the systemic onychopathies. A relative spate of descriptive reports in more recent times was begun by J. C. Reil's 1792 notation on white transverse bands and sulci following febrile diseases.1 Gradually, such entities as Beau's lines,2 Mees' lines,3 splinter hemorrhages,4 koilonychia,5 pigmented nails,6 onycholysis,7 Terry nails,8 Muehrcke's striae,9 azure lunulae,10 rubra lunulae,11 platonychia,12 the nail-patella syndrome,13 and the yellownail syndrome,14 came to be recognized as nail signs of diagnostic significance. There are now more than 40 described onychopathies due to systemic illnesses and three monographs focusing on the nails in disease.1517 That certain nail References 1. Reil, J.C.: Unguium Vitia in Convalescentibus a Febre Maligna Observata, Memorabilum Clinicorum , Halae: Litteris trampianis , 2:206-207, 1792. 2. Beau, J.H.S.: Certain Caracteres de Semeiologie Retrospective, Presentes par les Ongles , Arch Gen Med 9:447, 1846. 3. Mees, R.A.: Een Verschijnsel bij Polyneuritis Arsenicosa , Nederl T Geneesk 1:391, 1919. 4. Horder, T.: Discussion on Clinical Significance and Course of Subacute Bacterial Endocarditis , Brit Med J 2:301-311 ( (Aug 28) ) 1920.Crossref 5. Jalili, M.A., and Al-Kassab, S.: Koilonychia and Cysteine Content of Nails , Lancet 2:108-110 ( (Aug 15) ) 1959.Crossref 6. Valero, A., and Sherf, K.: Pigmented Nails in Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome , Amer J Gastroent 43:56-58 ( (Jan) ) 1965. 7. Luria, M.N., and Asper, S.P., Jr.: Onycholysis in Hyperthyroidism , Ann Intern Med 49:102-108 ( (July) ) 1958.Crossref 8. Terry, R.: White Nails in Hepatic Cirrhosis , Lancet 1:757-759 ( (April 10) ) 1954.Crossref 9. Muehrcke, R.C.: The Finger Nails in Chronic Hypoalbuminemia , Brit Med J 1:1327-1328 ( (June 9) ) 1956.Crossref 10. Bearn, A.G., and McKusick, V.A.: Azure Lunulae: An Unusual Change in the Fingernails in Two Patients With Hepato-Lenticular Degeneration (Wilson's Disease) , JAMA 166:904-906 ( (Feb 22) ) 1958.Crossref 11. Terry, R.: Red Half-Moons in Cardiac Failure , Lancet 2:842-844 ( (Oct 23) ) 1954.Crossref 12. Kleeberg, J.: Flat Finger-Nails in Cirrhosis of the Liver , Lancet 2:248-249 ( (Aug 11) ) 1951.Crossref 13. Brixey, A.M., Jr., and Burke, R.M.: Arthro-Onycho Dysplasia: Hereditary Syndrome Involving Deformity of Head of Radius, Absence of Patellas, Posterior Iliac Spurs, Dystrophy of Finger Nails , Amer J Med 8:738-744 ( (June) ) 1950.Crossref 14. Samman, P.D., and White, W.F.: The "Yellow Nail" Syndrome , Brit J Derm 76:153-157 ( (April) ) 1964.Crossref 15. Samman, P.D.: The Nails in Disease , Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas, Publisher, 1965. 16. Berry, T.J.: The Hand as a Mirror of Systemic Disease , Philadelphia: F. A Davis Company, 1963. 17. Pardo-Costello, V., and Pardo, O.A.: Disease of the Nails , ed 3, Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas, Publisher, 1960. 18. Hudson, J.B., and Dennis, A.J.: Transverse White Lines in the Fingernails After Acute and Chronic Renal Failure , Arch Intern Med 117:276-279 ( (Feb) ) 1966.Crossref 19. Bean, W.B.: A Discourse on Nail Growth and Unusual Fingernails , Trans Amer Clin Climat Assoc 74:152-167, 1963. 20. Lindsay, P.G.: The Half and Half Nail , J Lab Clin Med 66:892 ( (Nov) ) 1965. 21. Terry, R.: The Onychodermal Band in Health and Disease , Lancet 1:179-181 ( (Jan 22) ) 1955.Crossref 22. Morey, D.A.J., and Burke, J.O.: Distinctive Nail Changes in Advanced Hepatic Cirrhosis , Gastroenterology 29:258-261 ( (Aug) ) 1955.

Journal

Archives of Internal Medicine – American Medical Association

Published: Jun 1, 1967

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