Une énigme non résolue : la « gale chinoise ¼ il y a 150 ans.

The meaning of the term "gale chinoise" mentioned in some articles about French overseas territories in the 19th century, remains unclear. In response to a query of an American colleague dermatologist trying to find out what it meant 150 years ago, we attempted to elucidate the nature of this ancient disease, which today would be translated literally as Chinese scabies.We submitted the query to a panel of civilian and military French tropical medicine specialists including dermatologists, through two networks : Association Amicale Sante Navale et d'Outre-Mer and Societe de Pathologie Exotique.Very few answers were received from the approximately 400 colleagues in these networks. They mentioned : ciguatera, other types of ichtyosarcotoxism, smallpox, and leprosy. Several said they never encountered this term during many years spent in French Polynesia, and none was able to find irrefutable proof of their suggestion. Discussion and conclusion. Leprosy, smallpox, ciguatera? The identity of "gale chinoise" remains an enigma ; it might have been intended to designate several different diseases.