Medicine: Mah Jongg Dermatitis

“Dermatitis” or inflammation of the skin due to special sensitivity to the lacquer on Mah Jongg boxes is a new disease that has attracted the attention of physicians. The Chinese and Japanese employ a lacquer which is an extract from a Japanese plant known as Rhus vernicifera, of the same variety as Rhus toxicodendron or “poison-ivy.” When people who are susceptible get the lacquer on their fingers or skin, a burning and itching sensation develops within 24 to 48 hours. There may be red spots and blisters as in typical poision-ivy eruption. By makingextracts of the lacquer and applying them to the skin the physicians were able to incriminate the gaily colored Mah Jongg boxes which the patients had recently handled. Dr. I. Toyama showed that the lacquer on a Japanese vase which had been buried in a room for more than 1,000 years was able to cause the eruption. “Eight or nine cases” have already been reported by three physicians; the condition is no doubt fairly prevalent.