A case of urethritis due to a long needle, which was introduced by the patient, was described. Though foreign body urethritis is a well-known clinical entity, it is a rare condition and a review of the literature reveals how varied the types of-foreign bodies which have been introduced within the urethra are. Behind the urge to introduce foreign bodies into the urethra lies an abnormal erotic impulse or a neurotic or a psychotic personality.

Three patients of psoriatic arthritis have been described. None of these patients gave a family history of psoriasis. In two patients the nail changes and arthritis appeared simultaneously, while skin changes preceded the arthritis in all three. In one patient there was a pathological fracture and in another was ligamentous ossification. In the third patient, there was partial compression of the body of the L-5 vertebra.

Skin tuberculosis is not a rarity in India. Its incidence was 5.9 per thousand among general skin out-patients. Lupus vulgaris was the commonest, constituting 74% of total skin tuberculosis. There was significant high frequency of disease in females. The buttocks, thighs and legs are more often involved than the face. It is hypothesized that mode of infection in lupus vulgaris could be both exogenous and endogenous. Higher frequency of pyoderma on buttocks around which the tubercle bacilli may get inoculated seems to result in a high incidence of tuberculosis at this site.

Occurrence of psoriasis and ichthyosis vulgaris together in 3,patients whose family members had both or either of the conditions is being reported.

A rare case of chromoblast6mycos caused by Phialophora pedrosoi is reported. It was successfully treated with Isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH). Available literature has been briefly reviewed.

We have presented here our results of a comparative double-blind study with desoximetasone, a new topical corticosteroid and beta-methasone valerate, in 55 patients followed up for a period of 14 days, Desoximetasone had significantly earlier onset of action and greater effect on various signs and symptoms associated with dermatoses suitable for treatment with topical steroids. Both the treatments were well tolerated.

Congenital defect of the skin is a developmental defect. Predisposing factors are in. grained in the embryo, are essentially genetic and hence inherited. Extensive aplasia cutis as seen in this case involving trunk, shoulders, hips and thighs symmetrically is very rare.