Primary Pyocyanea Infection of the Skin

are reported : (1) J. B. S. came to me with lesions of eight months' duration on the dorsum of one of his hands. There was a rash like prickly heat with oedema and oozing. The weeping was very marked and tiny shallow ulcers were seen. The patient had tried acriflavine, calamine, gentian violet lotions and even x-rays but to no effect. His skin could not tolerate any hot fomentation. The only thing that gave him relief was a zinc oxide paste, but no cure was obtained. An cedematous area with the skin intact was scraped with a sterile knife until oozing started. A drop of the watery fluid was cultured and a pure culture of Pseudomonas pyocyanea was obtained. An autogenous vaccine was prepared and injected in graduated doses from 5 to 50 millions. The improvement was striking a few days after the first injection and the disease was cured after a few