Ringworm of the Scalp

In a former communication¹evidence was presented to show that ringworm of the scalp occasionally resolved spontaneously when the causal organism was a microsporon pathogenic to animals. It was later reported²that a uniformly favorable response was noted to the local application of antifungicidal medicaments when fungi also pathogenic to animals (chiefly Microsporon lanosum) were the cause of the infection; depilating measures—roentgen irradiation or administration of the thallium salts—were held to be unnecessary in the treatment of tinea of the scalp of this type. Conversely, certain fungi not pathogenic to the lower animals (chiefly Microsporon Audouini) caused infections which were resistant to various local applications sufficient to cure ringworm of the scalp caused by microsporons pathogenic to animals. In the list of resistant infections should be included the less commonly noted ones caused by endothrix trichophytons and Achorion Schoenleinii. Further experience enables us to confirm these earlier