Occurrence of multiple neuritis in cases of cutaneous diphtheria.

CUTANEOUS diphtheria is rarely seen in the temperate zone, but it is a common cause of disability among soldiers serving in the tropics. 1 Abrasions, blisters, insect bites, gunshot wounds and dermatophytic fissures, to mention only a few of the common lesions of the skin, are frequently secondarily infected with virulent Corynebacterium diphtheriae. These infections develop into the chronic ulcers of cutaneous diphtheria, which have been called variously desert sores, septic sores, barcoo rot and veldt sores. In the fighting around Myitkyina during the North Burma campaign a small epidemic of cutaneous diphtheria occurred among American soldiers. One hundred and forty cases of this condition were studied at the Twentieth General Hospital: In 61, or 43 per cent, of this group multiple neuritis developed as a complication. The purpose of this report is to analyze and record the observations in these cases of neuritis. Articles covering the dermatologic, bacteriologic and