Otomycosis: A Neglected Disease

A SURVEY of British literature leaves the impression that otomycosis has never held a prominent place among ear diseases in this country. Dismissing the condition in a few lines, most authors suggest that it occurs infrequently and that treatment is a simple matter of applying some well-known preparation. It is, however, apparent in most clinics that the discharging ear still presents unsolved problems. There is that small nucleus of patients who come and come again; whose treatment theme has infinite variations with but one tangible result—a steady increase in the thickness of their out-patient notes. With these thoughts in mind the present writers decided, some four years ago, to investigate patients of this type for the presence of an active fungus infection. There were several good reasons for this. Local antibiotic therapy, while not in universal use, had attained significant proportions in the treatment of both external and middle-ear infections, and it has