472 MEDICAL MYCOLOGY 



latter type of experimentation, which is more logical, has not yielded much 

 information useful in practice, as often these organisms behave very differently 

 in the human skin from the way they do in culture. 



Owing to the difficulty of securing penetration into the horny layer of 

 the skin, hair follicle or hair, most of the usual antiseptics are useless. By 

 use of a keratolytic, such as salicylic acid or chrysarobin, the horny layer may 

 be peeled off faster than the fungus penetrates the newly formed layer. This 

 is essentially the action of such ointments as Whitfield's,* with its numerous 

 modifications, of which Swartz't seems to give very good results in cases 

 which I have followed personally. 



Iodine was extensively used formerly, but its use is. subject to the usual 

 disadvantages. Castellanif (1928 and frequently reprinted) reports good 

 results with carbolfuchsin paint. Cattaneo (1923) reports success in sycosis 

 following intravenous injection of iodine solutions. Swartz et al. (1930), and 

 Blumgart et al. (1931) report favorably on the inhalation of ethyl iodide. 

 Lieberthal (1928) reports success with mercurochrome in Microsporum infec- 

 tion in the scalp. In epidermophytosis, Matta (1928) suggests the use of oleo 

 de andiroba or the oleoresin of tamaquare (Caraipa silvafica B. Rodr.) in 

 various formulae. Probably these function as keratolytics. Navarro-Martin 

 (1932) reports healing of kerions following intravenous injections of trypa- 

 flavine. 



Kingery & Adkisson (1928) tried many volatile oils on 20 strains of skin 

 pathogens and found aqueous solutions of thymol, cinnamon oil, and eugenol 

 (clove oil) superior to others in the order named, for restraining growth on 

 agar; and Kingery (1929) reported on the use of thymol and cinnamon oil 

 in the treatment of ringworm of the scalp. Gould & Carter (1930) studied 

 the toxicity of mixtures of benzoic and salicylic acids (the important con- 

 stituents of Whitfield's ointment) in vitro to Epidermophyton pedis {Tricho- 

 phyton pedis), E. purpureum, and E. interdigitale, and reports that salicylic 

 acid 1 :30,000 + 1 :2,250 benzoic acid restrained most cultures. In 1932, they 

 reported that liquor hexyl resorcinolis 1:1,000 (ST. 37) was equivalent to 

 salicylic acid 1 :30,000, while mercurochrome 220 soluble showed no fungistasis 

 at 1 :600 for 3 strains of Epidermophyton interdigitalis, E. pedis and 2 strains 

 of E. purpureum. Schamberg, Brown & Harkins (1931) report that iodine 

 1 :85,000 kills in 15 minutes ; mercury acetate and crystal violet 1 :20,000 in 

 25% alcohol and acetone solution and mercury acetate and fuchsin are also 

 good. They suggest the following ointment: oil of cloves 0.06 c.c, oil of 

 cinnamon 0.06 c.c, iodine 0.03 gm., white petrolatum q.s. 30 c.c. (zinc oxide 

 may be added if desired). 



Strickler (1933) after further studies of fungicides developed the fol- 

 lowing formula: iodine crystals 1.3 gm., potassium iodide 1.9 gm., salicylic 



*VVTiitfielcVs ointment: salicylic acid 2 parts, benzoic acid 4 parts, ointment base 30 parts. 



tSwartz' ointment: salicylic acid 2 gm., mercurochrome cryst. 0.68 gm., hydrous wool 

 fat 16 sm., petrolatum 16 g"m. 



JCastellani's carbolfuchsin paint: 10 c.c. saturated solution of basic fuchsin: 100 c.c. 

 5% phenol in aqueous solution. Filter, add 1 gm. boric acid, and after 2 hours add 5 c.c. ace- 

 tone. After 2 more hours add 10 gni. resorcinol. Keep in the dark. 



