Main Entry: Rit·ter's disease Pronunciation: 'rit-&rz- Function: noun :STAPHYLOCOCCAL SCALDED SKIN SYNDROME Ritter von Rittershain/'rit-&r-fon-'rit-&rz-"hIn,/Gottfried(1820–1883), German physician. Ritter first described staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in brief in 1870, publishing afull description in 1878.