RINGWORM OF THE SCALP: A REPORT OF THREE CASES DUE TO MICROSPORON LANOSUM WITH A TENDENCY TO SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY

Sabouraud 1 described instances of spontaneous cure in patients with ringworm of the scalp and also recognized that this tendency was limited almost entirely to cases in which the causal organism was also pathogenic to certain of the lower animals. Since infections of the scalp due to Trichophyton are rarely seen in New York, the main excitants in that group are the so-called animal microsporons, of which Microsporon lanosum is the commonest. When tinea capitis is due to M. lanosum, the symptoms may be clinically similar to cases in which Microsporon Audouini and related organisms are responsible by showing patchy involvement and exhibiting very little inflammatory reaction in the involved areas. At other times the patches are erythematous, and follicular pustules may be present. Kerion formation may be noted. When present in untreated patients, the latter symptoms are suggestive of "animal" infection. Examination of infected hairs in a potassium hydroxide