SUMMARY The quantitative measurement of the IgE and IgG subclass levels in the sera of 29 patients with atopic dermatitis has revealed significantly elevated levels of IgE and IgG4 in a relatively high proportion of patients with this condition compared to non‐atopic patients with warts and to a group of normal volunteers studied previously. The possible significance of these observations is discussed in relation to current evidence suggesting the involvement of IgG4 in certain immediate‐type hypersensitivity disorders.

Porokeratosis of Mibelli is a rare, genetically determined disorder of the skin. Seventeen cases of carcinoma on the site of the lesion have been described (Cort and

SUMMARY The ultrastructural features of two cases of porokeratosis of Mibelli are described. They demonstrate that the basophilic granular material in the cornoid lamella consists of whole degenerate cells with pyknotic nuclei. The dermis contains clumps of a finely fibrillar material and some collagen, and many fibroblasts show degenerative changes.

An epidemiological study has been made of 4696 cases of eczematous dermatitis referred to hospital outpatient clinics in the City of Birmingham over a 3-year period. Some sociological implications of the investigation are discussed. The need for further sociological accounts of skin disease is stressed.

In a multi-centre double-blind trial, 31 patients with proven bilateral candidal lesions of the flexures were treated for 14 days with nystatin cream on one side and with a combination of nystatin and triamcinolone acetonide cream on the other. Both treatments proved equally effective in terms of mycological cure and clinical improvement. There was a trend in favour of the combination preparation being preferred by both patients and physicians because of more rapid relief of symptoms.