Richard S. Weiss

CONTROL OF AXILLARY HYPERHIDROSIS BY ALUMINUM PHENOLSULFONATE

Aluminum chloride is undoubtedly a useful anhidrotic and deodorant and is the active constituent of many proprietary compounds used for that purpose. However, numerous cases of contact dermatitis caused by its use have come under our observation. Considering that its harmful effects are probably due to its high acidity and caustic action, we felt that a compound with an organic acid might be effective and less harmful. Because zinc phenolsulfonate, in use for many years, had little caustic action, the idea occurred to us that such a salt of aluminum might approach the solution to the problem. Aluminum phenolsulfonate 1 has recently been made available, and we report our experiments with the use of this compound. Stillians introduced aluminum chloride for the purpose of controlling hyperhidrosis in 1916. He recommended that it be used in a 25 per cent solution. In reviewing the available literature it was rather surprising to

XXII.—PICRIC ACID IN THE TREATMENT OF SEVERE EPIDERMOPHYTON INFECTION

The summer of 1920 was noteworthy for the large number of cases of epidermophyton infection observed in both clinical and private practice. Moreover, many of the cases were of such severity as to produce disability. The epidemiology of the disease has never, to my knowledge, been worked out, and I cannot suggest any reason for this increase in the number and severity of the cases. The disability caused by the cases of severe foot disease led me to try several drugs in the hope of shortening the course of the disease, and, as a result of this investigation, I can strongly recommend the application of a saturated solution of picric acid in water. I have not been able to find any reference to the use of picric acid in epidermophyton infection, hence this report. The type of case in which this solution appears to be of great service is the