Severity of atopic dermatitis (AD) was assessed in 80 children (up to12 years), 48 boys and 32 girls, using grading system as suggested by Rajka and Langeland. Thirty-three (41.25%), 44 (55%) and 3(3.75%) patients had mid, moderate and severe diseases respectively. Mean severity scores were 3.5,5.7 and 8.3 respectively in these 3 groups. Boys had a more Severe disease than girls. Patients with early (0-3 months) and late onset (6-9 years) of disease had maximum severity, mean severity scores being 5 and 5.3 respectively. Patients with moderate AD had a more prolonged course than those with mild disease. Family history of atopy had no impact on the severity of AD, although personal history of atopy was common in patients with moderate AD. Face was equally affected in mild disease group.

Seventy cases of pyoderma and infective dermatitis were studied. These included, as control, 10 patients who applied 1% gention violet only. Other 60 Patients (30 impetigo, 20 infective dermatitis, 10 folliculitis & furuncle) were treated with application of Nutriderm oil for 2 weeks. 83% of impetigo, 75% of infective dermatitis and 50% of folliculitis and furuncle were cured after 2 weeks of treatment, free of side-effects. Neem, Haldi, Sajina and Garlic Oil (Nutriderm oil) in judicial combination can act as an inexpensive substitute for topical antibiotics and corticosteroids.

PH- mapping of skin was made by measuring the skin surface pH in 61 normal Indian subjects (35M, 26F) in the prepubertal age group at 21 different sites from scalp to sole at an ambient temperature 25-32C and a relative humidity 60-65%. The pH values at axilla, umbilicus, palm, fingerfolds, foot, sole, and cheek were found to be consistently higher than those at scalp, forehead, retroauricular folds, antecubital and popliteal fossae, anterior arm, anterior the mean pH of male skin appeared to be lower than that of female. The highest pH recorded was in axilla (5.98 for male, 6.00 for female), irrespective of sex. The lowest value however was in anterior neck (4.59) for male and in antecubital fossa (4.83) for female. While the origin of the skin pH is yet to be definitely known, it was observed that a high density of both sweat gland and bacteria flora leads to a high pH, and high concentration of sebaceous gland and of bacterial flora to a lower pH.

A6-year study (1989-1995) on autologous punch grafting was performed in 410 different sites of 184 resistant, stable and localized vitiligo patients and Calcutta Skin institute. Grafting was undertaken by skin biopsy punch and curved scissors keeping a distance of 1-2 cm between adjoining grafts, the donor site graft being 0.5 mm to1mm larger than the recipient one. 12 cases were halo nevus, the central mole of which was excised and subsequently grafted. The grafts were well accepted in 385 (93.9%) sites and rejected in 20 (4.9%) sites due to secondary infection and in 5 (1.2%) for poor care in immobilization by the patients. Spontaneous pigment- spread was seen in 77(18.8%) sites, predominantly on face, neck and upper trunk. Post-surgical psoralen with seen at all in 13 (3.2%) sites, mainly located on bony prominences (tibial surface and maleoli), fingers and feet. Perigraft hyper-pigmentation was seen in 29(7.1%)sites, especially on sun-exposed area. Excellent pigment-spread was seen in 8(66.7%) cases of halo nevus: 3 (25%) showed sinking pits and 1(8.3%) remnant of mole. Raised graft surface (cobble stoning) was not uniform in 36 (8.8%) sites. Keloidal growth at donor sites was seen in 12 (2.9%) cases. This simple, unique, economic, outdoor-based, effective and cosmetically acceptable procedure may be a positive answer to many refractory vitiligo patients.

In a clinical study, the efficacy of gamma benzene hexachloride lotion was evaluated in 50 adult patients in scabies using 2% concentration and in 24 children under 8 years of age using 1% concentration. Use of other scabicidal preparation was 25% benzyl benzoate emulsion for a comparison with second group of patients of the same size. Two applications for 1 day of 2% gamma benzene hexachloride lotion proved to be far more effective a scabicidal drug (68% cure) in adult and 1% gamma benzene hexachloride (91.7% cure) in children compared to benzyl benzoate emulsion.

A34 year old women presented to the Dermatology O.P. with a burns scar of duration more than 3 decades. She had developed a horny excrescence from this scare for the past 6 months. Histopathlogy of the base of the lesion showed evidence of a squamous cell carcinoma. This case is reported to stress the need for long term follows up of all cases of burns scars due to potentially lethal complication of malignant transformation.

A case of chickenpox in a boy of 16 years is described for its uncommon presentation with hemorrhagic vesicles, gum-bleeding without being preceded by any prodromal symptom and unassociated with any immunosuppressive disorder.