The History of Dermatology

These were dark days for dermatology; days when, as some one has related the story, a student, asking information upon a disease of the skin from a physician, received the reply, “Sir, I know nothing of skin diseases; you must go to the surgeon; ” appealing to the surgeon, he was met with, "Sir, I must refer you to the physician.” The situation seemed helpless; the whole subject was shrouded in mystery, and it would seem was judged either obscure, or as being too insignificant to be worthy of serious attention. A disposition existed to consign the whole of this branch of medicine to those outside the professional pale. No one seemed prepared to take up the matter. Nor can this deplorable condition of affairs be accounted for on the plea of lack of opportunities, for much had already been accomplished abroad, especially in England through the labors of Willan and Bateman. The profession was simply not qualified to entertain the subject, and the task remained for later generations. 

-Louis Duhring, on early 19th century American dermatology