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. 2019 Sep;36(5):755-757.
doi: 10.1111/pde.13858. Epub 2019 May 29.

Revisiting the history of the "Mongolian spot": The background and implications of a medical term used today

Connie S Zhong  1   2 , Jennifer T Huang  1   3 , Vinod E Nambudiri  1   2
Affiliations

Revisiting the history of the "Mongolian spot": The background and implications of a medical term used today

Connie S Zhong et al. Pediatr Dermatol. 2019 Sep.

Abstract

"Mongolian spot" is a term still commonly used today and found in many dermatology textbooks. This article examines historic literature to understand the social and political climate at the time of its coining. By doing so, this article critically examines the choice of words in pediatric dermatology and how we can use medical terminology to gain the trust and respect of our patients.

Keywords: Mongolian spot; congenital dermal melanocytosis; history of dermatology; history of medicine.

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References

REFERENCES

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    1. Brenneman J. The sacral or so-called “Mongolian” pigment spots of earliest infancy and childhood, with special reference to their occurrence in the American Negro. Am Anthropol. 1907;9:12.

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