Tuberous Sclerosis

Tuberous sclerosis is a disease entity with protean manifestations, reported as being present in every organ and almost every structure of the body. It is familial and hereditary. The skin lesions are not primarily problems of skin therapy. Gratification must be derived from making a diagnosis in the incomplete or forme fruste case in practice, without the classical triad of mental deficiency, epilepsy, and adenoma sebaceum. It is this type of case in which recommendations regarding marriage and reproduction are especially important in a condition unfamiliar to most physicians. Historically the names of von Recklinghausen,¹who first described brain and heart lesions; Bourneville,²who elaborated the brain findings; Pringle,³whose name is attached to the facial lesions; Hallopeau-Leredde,⁴who first described shagreen patches on the back; Sherlock,⁵who coined the term ``epiloia,'' and Van der Hoeve,⁶who first described the eye findings are all