The clinical syndrome known as "keratodermie blennorrhagique" was so named by Vidal (1893), who concluded after the observation of one such case, which he recorded in detail, that the condition should be regarded as a distinct clinical entity. His original description specified a generalized and symmetrical cutaneous eruption consisting of cornified crusts with disintegration and destruction of the finger and toe nails, "associated with urethritis and polyarthritis," due to systemic invasion of Neisserian diplococci. His patient also exhibited conjunctivitis and blepharitis of presumably identical origin. The existing cutaneous phenomena, which were described in minute detail, consisted of small, hard, dry cornified crusts "distributed over the head, face and trunk." On the extremities, especially the hands and feet, the lesions were larger and more abundant, the palms and soles presenting numerous yellowishbrown, symmetrical discrete and confluent crusty and cornified areas. On the distal phalanges of the fingers and the toes were