It is our intention to review briefly the literature, with particular emphasis on the newer findings in cases of xanthoma tuberosum, ending with a description of what was found in the study of a classical example of this curious disorder.
The earlier observations were largely clinical, Carry,1 Brachet and Monnard2 and Besnier3 being among the pioneer students of xanthoma. Later, Poensgen,4 Koebner5 and others reported similar cases. Originally, these curious growths were regarded as fatty; but in 1893-1894, Török,6 after a careful study, came to the conclusion that they were not composed of true fat. His theory was subsequently confirmed by Stoerk7 and Pringsheim,8 who stated that the substance in question was really a lipoid.
Quinquaud,9 in 1874, was the first dermatologist to study such cases from the cholesterol standpoint. We were unable to obtain his original article but found his