The efficacy of ketotifen, a benzocyclo heptathiophene derivative was evaluated in 24 patients with symptomatic dermographism in a double-blind cross-over study. Dermographism was induced by a device at two different pressure before, during and after ketotifen treatment. Symptomatic improvement was seen during ketotifen therapy, but no benefit was observed with the placebo. However lesions recurred few days after stopping the treatment.

Clinical study of 12 Libyan male patients of actinic reticuloid (AR) treated since 1982 is presented. 9 patients had wheatish complexion and 3 were black. Median age at onset of symptoms was 47 years. All the patients had pruritic infiltrated plaques and papules on the exposed sites with involvement of covered parts in 4 patients. 2 patients had significant dermopathic lymphadenopathy. All the patients showed partial improvement with the use of local sun-screens in day and steroid ointment at night. 5 patients showed significant improvement with systemic steroid therapy and 1 with chioroquine. Azathioprine therapy tried in 1 patient was ineffective. Later the same patient was given oral cyclosporine 4-5 mg/kg/day which resulted in almost complete clearence of the lesions at first but later failed to respond. Complete clearence of lesions could not be atained in any of the patients.

Study of palmo-plantar keratoderma in eighty-two cases showed that twenty different diseases, both hereditary and acquired were responsible for palmoplantar keratoderma. Maximum number of cases were of hereditary variety of palmoplantar keratoderma (Unna-Thost syndrome) (28.05%). Whereas psoriasis was the leading cause among the acquired conditions (17.07%). Two histopathological types of Unna-Thost syndrome and their correlation with clinical features are reported.

100 patients of STD were subjected to HIV testing and this included cases of genital warts, chancroid, shyphilis, genital herpes, balanoposthitis and gonorrhoea. 5% cases were positive for antibodies by ELISA/particle agglutination test and all were confirmed by W.B. test. 25 prostitutes showed 28% positivity for antibodies to HIV. This is an alarming fact and more stress for HIV positivity to be given in STD patients and prostitutes.

Fifty female patients ranging in age between 14-45 years, complaining of a diffuse loss of hair for periods varying from 1-22 months were thoroughly interrogated to look for the factors leading to the hair loss. Laboratory investigations undertaken included a routine estimation of haemoglobin, ESR, urinalysis, examination of the stools, and any other test indicated by the history or examination. The hair loss was quantitated by asking the patient to collect all the fallen hairs during a 24 hours period for 7 consecutive days, and pack them into appropriately labelled polythene bags. Each collection was weighed to calculated the average daily loss. Such collections were repeated once a month for a period of 4-5 months to monitor the variations in the hair loss and study the effect for treatment. Ten hairs randomly picked from each collection were examined microscopically to look for any shaft abnormalities in addition to the examination of the root end and the distal end. The probable causes of hair loss in these patients were found to be psychologic stress in 21 cases, fever in 11 cases, child-birth/abortion in 5 cases, and a surgical operation in 3 cases. Some of these cases had more than one factor, while in 15 cases there was no clinical evidence of any of the known causes of hair loss. Routine laboratory investigations however revealed a haemoglobin level of less than 12 gm% in 25 cases, an ESR higher than 20 mm in 18 cases, asymptomatic urinary tract infection in 13 cases and gastro-intestinal parasites in stools in 12 cases. Thus every patient had at least one of the causative factors, while several patients had more than one factor which could be responsible for the hair loss. Almost all the cases in this group seemed to have telogen effluvium. Examination of the root end in most of the hairs showed a club hair, while the hair shaft revealed trichorrhexis in some of the hairs in 10 cases and trichoptilosis in 3 cases. Appropriate treatment normalised the hair loss which reflected in the collections of the fallen hair.

Efficacy of Cetirizine and Astemizole was compared in 50 cases of chronic Idiopathic urticaria. Patients were divided into 2 groups viz A and B. Before starting the therapy, routine investigations were carried out to rule out any septic focus. Prior to treatment, 1 week before all medications were withdrawn. Cetirizine and Astemizole, 10mg each, were given as a single daily morning dose for 1 month and patients were followed up for 1 month. 40% excellent response was observed with Cetirizine while 20% excellent response with Astemizole. Good response was observed in 32% patients with Cetirizine and 28% with Astemizole. No side effects were observed except sedation, 8% in Cetirizine group and 20% with Astemizole group.

Prevalence of monolesions in leprosy was studied in the leprosy control units of an MDT district before the start of MDT programme and at the end of 3 years. The percentage of mono lesions in new cases detected increased from 21.7% to 33.3% in under 15 years age group and from 9.6% to 15% in over 15 years group at the end of 3 years. This increase indicates some success of the programme.

Four cases of cutaneous mycobacterial infections in which the clinical presentation was strongly suggestive of sporotrichosis are presented.

One hundred patients with warts (Verruca vulgaris of hands-33; feet-16, hands and feet 10; palmar warts-17 and plantar warts-24) were treated with salicylic acid (16.5%) and lactic acid (16.5%) in flexible collodion wart (SAL) paint. The wart paint was applied twice a week for 3 months. Good response was seen in 82.1% of warts on hands. 46.7% of palmar warts, 54.5% of warts on feet, 84.2% of plantar warts and 57.1% of warts on hands and feet. Overall success rate was 70%. Eighty percent patients completed the study. No adverse effects were observed. During 6 months post treatment follow up recurrence of warts occurred in 11.7% of patients.

A young male having subcorneal pustular dermatosis is reported. The patient had characteristic skin lesions associated with itching and had typical histopathological changes. Patient also had peripheral eosinophilia and showed dramatic response to Dapsone.

A 80-year-old priest developed itchy, erythematous, scaly and fissured area on the centre of his forehead, palmar aspect of right hand fingers and medial half of left palm. These were suspected to be contact dermatitis due to sandalwood paste he was using on these areas. Patch test with sandalwood paste was positive. All the lesions cleared in 10 days after stopping application of sandalwood paste and topical application of betamethasone valerate cream and recurred in 2 days when the application of paste was restarted.

An 8-year-old girl of Pemphigus foliaceus is reported because of the rarity of the condition in childhood. The disease was resistant to steroids and showed a dramatic response to dapsone.

A 10-year-old female child with pneumococcai meningitis complicated by hypersensitivity vasculitis presenting as purpuric and ecchymotic lesions is reported.

A case of lepromatous leprosy (LL) on multibacillary multidrug therapy (MBMDT) presented with oedema of the acral parts and marked eosinophilia. The case is being reported because of this extremely rare manifestation of dapsone hypersensitivity.

A case of symmetrical peripheral gangrene due to peripheral circulatory collapse following delirium tremens is reported.

A case of pagetoid reticulosis (Woringer Kolopp disease) is reported. The diagnosis was confirmed by the typical histopathology. Review of the available literature failed to show report of any such case from India and hence this report.

Forty years old female, suffering from progressive systemic sclerosis of six years duration presented with a proliferative growth over the right fore-arm showing sclerodermatous changes. Started as a small nodule gradually increasing in size over the course of six months to the size of 10 cms x 10 cms. The tender proliferative bluish red growth having multiple bleeding points. the base fixed to the underlying bone with no evidence of regional lymphadenopathy.

Five cases of pseudolymphoma syndrome (PS) in children aged 6 to 12 years were observed after anticonvulsant drugs. In 2 cases PS was observed after 10 days and in 3 after 15 days therapy with offending drug. 3 cases of PS were due to carbamazepine and had morbilliform rash and 2 cases due to phenobarbitone had erythroderma. All had fever, generalised lymphadenopathy and 4/5 had hepatosplenomegaly. Therapy with 15 mg prednisolone daily and withdrawal of offending drug led to cure in 4/5 cases and 1 died due to congestive cardiac failure.

Pedunculated malignant melanoma is a rare occurrence. A 29 year old woman presented with a pedunculated malignant melanoma on a congenital melanocytic naevus with halo. Pedunculated malignant melanoma is known to have a high incidence of metastasis. The absence of metastasis and the presence of halo, in the case presented, suggests, that the body's immunological process may have arrested the spread of the melanoma.

A case of Phenytoin induced pseudolymphoma syndrome is reported. The patient presented with high fever, generalised skin rash and lymphadenopathy and also had hepatosplenomegaly, arthralgia, leucocytosis and abnormal liver function tests.