TRICHOPHYTONEAE 473 



acid 1.9 gm., boric acid 3.8 gm., and alcohol 50% to make 59.1 e.c. Zifferblatt 

 and Seelaus (1933) have studied the action of iodine vapor on the skin and 

 on various fungi. Fernet & Boyer (1933) advocate tincture of iodine 10% 

 and 90%-alcohol 90%, or quinosol 1 gr., 80% alcohol 40 gm., glycerol 20 gm., 

 and water 120 gm. Legge, Bonar and Templeton (1934) after trying a large 

 number of substances upon many students concluded that equal parts tincture 

 of iodine and glycerol was the most satisfactory, and plan further experiments 

 Avith related fonnulae. They also report that the addition of 1.4% thymol to 

 Whitfield '^s ointment improved its usefulness, although thymol alone was not 

 especially promising. Li Hsueli Yi (1933) reported a series of in vitro tests 

 in which he found thymol, Castellani's fuchsin paint, benzoic acid, and sali- 

 cylic acid quite toxic, resorcin and hexylresorcinol were toxic in higher con- 

 centrations only, while saturated carbolfuchsin, 50% alcohol, sodium thio- 

 sulphate, and mercurochrome 220 (5%) were nontoxic to the species used. 



Miyake (1925), in a study of vital staining by means of Sabouraud agar 

 to which the dye has been added, found that growth was not affected by eosin, 

 phloxine, alkali blue, and benzopurpurine, while it was inhibited by Nile blue, 

 neutral red, and methj^lene blue. He used E ctotricJiophyton mentagrophytes, 

 Favotrichophyton violaceum, Microsporum japonicum, and Epidermophyton 

 floccosum. Ectotricliopliyton mentagrophytes contains a phenolase. Thionin 

 changed color near the colonies. Leonian (1932) studied the action of mala- 

 chite green and crystal violet on 26 species. He points out the need for care 

 in such studies in securing a uniform inoculum. His emphasis on the position 

 of inoculum seems unnecessary. Apparently the failure of the organisms to 

 grow when the inoculum was upside down is due to low oxygen tension rather 

 than to any geotropic stimulus, or acclimatization of the fungus to the toxic 

 medium. 



The problem of therapeusis in the follicle and hair is much more difficult 

 as it is practically impossible to secure the penetration of any antiseptic. The 

 actively suppurating lesions will heal spontaneously by expulsion of the in- 

 fected hair along with the pus and subsequent cicatrization, usually allowing 

 a new hair to grow. The oldest method of treatment is manual epilation which 

 is very slow and unless it is very thorough, gives large chances of reinfection. 

 The roentgen ray epilation has the advantage of completeness but must be 

 applied very exactly, as a very slight overdose may prevent new hair growing 

 again. Irritating substances may also cause depilation but should be applied 

 cautiously under adequate medical supervision. Neidhart (1924) reports kill- 

 ing spores by x-rays and radium. Recently thallium acetate has enjoyed popu- 

 larity, but it is extremely toxic and great suffering has been caused by its 

 careless use, not only through a total and permanent loss of hair, including 

 all body hair, but also through arthritis and other ailments. Some of the 

 proprietary depilatory creams, etc., have been found to contain this substance 

 and should be avoided except under a physician's advice. 



Since the discovei-y that the infected hair is extremely greenish fluorescent 

 in ultraviolet light, while normal liair does not fluoresce, many dermatologists 



