Summary The records of eighteen patients with dermatomyositis were reviewed, of which nine had an associated malignancy. There was no difference in sex distribution, muscle enzyme values, and response to treatment between patients with uncomplicated dermatomyositis and those with co‐existing malignant disease. Cases aged over 40 years with an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and a short interval from onset of dermatomyositis till the patients were referred to hospital may indicate an association with malignancy.

Sixteen patients with chronic leg ulcers were treated with 10% benzoyl peroxide gel for 6 weeks. At the end of the treatment, patch tests with 2% benzoyl peroxide in petrolatum and 10% in a gel showed that nine patients (56%) had become sensitized. This high sensitization rate is in good accord with the results obtained by experimental investigations using human maximization tests and repeated insult patch tests. A strong sensitizer such as benzoyl peroxide should not be used in the routine treatment of chronic leg ulcers, despite its good healing effect.

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tute in Copenhagen, 34 patients with ulcers on legs refractory to conservative treatment underwent splitskin grafting during a two-year period. Twenty o f the 34 patients enjoyed complete healing o f their lesions without subsequent recurrences. In five patients the grafts failed completely and in six partially, but in the latter healing proceeded subsequently and satisfactor ily from the edges o f the ulcers. In three o f the 34 patients the ulcers healed spontaneously after slough ing o f the grafts and before re-grafting had to be con sidered. Regardless o f the ultimate results all patients were free o f pain so long as their ulcers were covered with grafts. IN T R O D U C T IO N Patients with recurrent, chronic ulcers on legs pose a great therapeutic problem, partly because o f their large number and partly because the topical treatment is long-lasting and does not always lead to healing.The principles of topical treatment have not altered in essential ways for many years, and as an alternative, grafting has been tried in several clinics. More often, pinch grafts or split-skin grafts of autologous skin have been used.Pinch grafts are small pieces of skin, about 2 x 5 mm in size, that consist of epidermis and the uppermost part of the dermis, taken from donor sites under local anesthesia. Split-skin grafts are largish strips of the epidermis and a thin layer of the dermis that are trans planted generally after removal of necrotic tissue and hypergranulation from the bases of ulcers upon which they are placed. The operation requires general anes thesia.We have used split-skin grafts taken under local an-Dr. Vesterager is on the staff of the