271 patents suffering from lepromatous leprosy were treated with varying doses of dapsone at various initial dosage levels and different rates of induction reaching to a maximum of 600 mgms of dapsone weeldy with a view to study the relation of reaction in leprosy to the various doses of dapsone with slow and rapid induction. ("slow induction" meaning increasing the dose every three months and "rapid induction" meaning raising the dose every month). During the follow up period ranging from one month to 84 months the incidence of reactions in the group of patients under rapid induction was 31.25 - percent (35 out of 1 12), while in the group with slow induction was 21.01 (35 out of 159). The maximum reactions occurred during 7 months to 12 months from the commencement of treatment. The majority of reactions were encountered within the first year of treatment. In none of the groups were there cases of reaction after 3 years of treatment. The fact that small daily doses of dapsone such as 10 mgm or even less provoke reaction within a period of one months' treatment in some patients shows that irrespective of the dosage, reactions may been countered within a very short period after the commencement of treatment provided the patient is a susceptible individual. Yet a schedule of 10 mgm dose on alternate days with a gradual increase would appear to give much less reactions than other doses. It was observed that in some cases (only 14 cases were available for these tests) concentration level of dapsone in the blood and its rate of excretion in the urine had no relation to the occurrence of reactions in the different groups.

Patients consisted of 17 women and 6 men. Occupations were those of housewives, dishwashers and cooks. Age: 18 were in the 20-40 years group, 4 were in the 40 to 50 years group; and one was in the 50 to 60 years age group. Duration of disease was from a few months to 5 years. Organisms detected were candida albicans and tropicalis. In 9 patients gram + and gram-ve bacilli were seen. Achromycin was used in 22 nails of which 16 were cured and 6 relieved. Fungi7one was used in 23 nails of which 18 were cured and 5 relieved. 57 nails were dry-dressed of which 49 were cured and 8 relieved. To obtain cure, duration of illness did not affect duration of treatment. It was only the patients ability to maintain the required conditions that affected course of treatment. In 34 nails pain and swelling subsided within a week's treatment in all methods. In 10 nails cuticle was seen within 32 weeks. Others took 4 to 11 weeks. New nail plates were seen almost simultaneously with the cuticle.

A statistical study of 281 male patients with condylomata acuminata is attempted under dif ferent heads of epidemiology, clinical aspects and treatment. This sexually transmitted disease formed only 2.8% of all male VD cases. The sex ratio was 7 males to 1 female. Anal warts were found to be more common in the unmarried and in the adolescents but rare in the agricultural labourers. Mostly the genital warts were small, multiple and discrete while the anal lesions were few, large and papillomatous. The common sites of occurrence were coronal sulcus, anal margin and inside of prepuce. Application of podophylin paint was effective when the genital lesions were few and small but produce inflammatory reaction in 34%.

Avil Retard 75 in a single dose was compared with Avil 25 given three times a day in 86 patients of chronic allergic dermatoses. Dose of Avil Retard 75 was doubled in 10 patients who showed inadequate response to the first two treatments. With respect to relief from itching, single dose of Avil Retard 75 was comparable to three doses of Avil 25. But the long acting preparation was definitely better in correcting the disturbed night sleep. Avil Retard 75 twice a day was the most effective of the three treatments, but also produced the highest side effects. However, the side effects were still mild in intensity, requiring no treatment or discontinuation of drug therapy.

Two cases of contact dermatitis to Bilawa (Semecarpus anacardium) are reported who used this substances as indigenous topical application for the treatment of alopecia areata. The relevant literature on the subject is reviewed. Apart from localised reaction, there was also acute allergic-reaction, involving the face and extremities. Patch test was found to be positive. A word of caution is thus indicated against the use of Bilawa as an indigenous topical treatment even as marking ink for the clothes. The possibility of cross sensitivity between other members of the Anacardiaceae is emphasized.

Fibrokeratoma is an uncommon benign skin growth. It is a small lesion that first seems rather insignificant It occurs more frequently on the fingers, and may have a slight or a great resemblance to a rudimentary or a supernumerary digit. On the other sites it may be mistaken for some other commoner conditions such as cutaneous horn. It is a benign symptomless condition arising as a hyperkeratotic projection out of normal skin. Its configuration shows a steeply projecting growth varying from a hemispherical to a stout or slender elongation. The lesion appears abruptly and enlarges rather quickly to its final size which may not exceed I- 1.5 cm. within months or years. The present report describes four such cases.

A case of Nocardial Mycetoma (with hacmatogenous dissemination) is described below. A female aged 25 years felt pain in the left foot and difficulty in walking 9 years ago there was no history of trauma or upper respiratory tract infection there was no cough, fever or expectoration. Few months later she developed one swelling each, on lateral and medial sides of left foot. Soon they burst out leaving a discharging sinus in each. Two years after developing the lesions n foot nodular lesions appeared scattered all over. At that time she had intense pruritus. The nodules subsided leaving atrophic pigmented patches. There was no pus from these nodules and patches. But since 3 years she developed two more swellings on the medial side of left foot below the malleolus. Two months later, they- burst out discharging yellowish pus. The pigmented patches on the skin were forty two in number occurring behind both ears, scalp, face, front of chest, right forearm and left elbow etc. There were no masses felt in the abdomen. The inguinal glands were enlarged and discrete but not painful. Other glands were not palpable. Material from biopsy and sinuses grew organisms of Nocardia species.