In our country, most of the patients with venereal are being tackled by the general practitioners. These practitioners may be of great help in the different aspects of nation-wide venereal disease control programme if their services, are properly oriented and integrated.

The present study is a portrayal of the incidence of skin diseases viz. skin problems in a house to house survey of a communityand its comparison with 5 years (1971-1976) statistical analysis of various dermatoses is represented in graphic form. Data collected reflect the prevalence of common skin problems. To these is drawn the attention of medical authorities and teachers for revision of the undergraduate curriculum and refresher course (continuing medical education). It is desired that proper stress should be laid on control of infectious dermaloses particularly scabies which forms a very large percentage of the prevalent dermatoses in our community.

Quantitative assay of free erythrocyte porphyrins was done in umbilical cord blood of 100 newborn babies by spectrophotometric method. The mean level of free erythrocyte protoporphyrin in umbilical cord blood was found to be74.56 ug/100 ml packed erythrocytes with a standard deviation of +- 0.93 respectively. Relationship between free erythrocyte coproporphyrin and their correlation with period of gestation, birth weight and sex of the new borns were found to be statistically significant

The aetiological relationship Propionibacterium acnes in acne vulgaris has been suggested. A clinicobacteriological study in 45 patients suffering from acne vulgaris was conducted for the first time in Indian patients. P acnes could be isolated from 18 (40.0%) and other propionibacterium species from 9 (20.0%) of the 45 patients studied. No correlation of culture positivity with the sex of the patient or duration and grade of the disease could be established, P acnes antibodies were, tested for in 33 and 20 patients sera by agglutination and immunodiffusion tests respectively. Immunodiffusion test was positive in 5 (25 %) of the 33-patients and in only 1 (9.9%) of the 11 controls studied. The difference in the incidence of P acnes agglutinating antibodies in patients versus control was statistically significant (p = < 0.001).

Fifty psoriatic patients were studied for cholesterol and blood sugar estimations. Indian psoriatic de not appear serum cholesterol levels. The prevalence rate of diabetes mellitus in thm was found to be 6%, about twice the rate seen in normal population. In patients with diabetes state psoriasis appears to be more recalcitrant to conventional tar treatment.

A detailed study of blood chemistry of psoriatic patients under photochemothempy was undertaken. No significant changes were observed in any of the parameters studied.

The usual treatment for gonorrhoea in this institution is procaine penicillin 12 lakhs daily for 3 days. Generally the response with this regimen is good. However in view of the fact that some cases did not respond to this treatment, trial with oxytetracycline was carried out on 15 patients, and is compared with the results obtained with penicillin in 15 patients. With the dosage schedules of penicillin and oxytetracycline followed by us all 30 patients improved and did not develop any recurrence, even after 3 weeks.

The therapeutic efficacy of a new fluorinated steriod, 0. 1% fluprednylidene -21 acetate (Decoderm) cream was compared to betamethasone and triamcinolone in two double blind clinical trials. All the three topical steroids were effective in various steroid responsive dermatoses within one week and the beneficial effects continued throughout the four weeks of the trials. The various signs and symptoms, such as erythema, pruritus, oedema, exudation, scaling, vesicles, crusting, lichenification and burning, improved significantly with each of the steroid under trial. Fluprednylindine-21 acetate (Decoderm) cream represents an important addition to the present,y available topical steroids.

Clinical pattern of pseudoxanthoma elasticum in the Indian subcontinent along with report of three fresh cases of pseudoxanthoma elasticum is described.

A case of secondary syphilis with granulomatous foci is reported. The patient did not respond to conventional doses of 2.4 mega units of benzathine penicillin but needed more than 12 mega units of penicillin for complete recovery. It is suggested that the clinical stage of syphilis are not merely due to progression of the disease, but represents an individual's response to disease.

A rare case of trigeminal trophic syndrome in an adult male is reported and the literature on the same is reviewed.

A case of pemphigus foliaceus clinically resembling dermatitis - herpetiformis is being reported. Patient did not respond to dapsone. Later on the basis of histology a diagnosis of pemphigus foliaceus was established. Cases having over lapping features of pemphigus foliaceus and dermatitis herpetiformis have been reported earlier by other workers.

A case of rhinopttyma of dzfobulated type iated with is presented. The growth was big (I 5 x TO cm,) and showed dilated follicles andpits. Itwas surgically. The, relevant literature is reviewed.