There is a consensus of opinion that acne vulgaris is frequently accompanied by gastro-intestinal disturbances, of which constipation is most frequently recorded, and less often, so-called "dyspepsia" or "indigestion."
Two prescriptions are given in practically every textbook on dermatology for the internal treatment of this condition. One is a magnesium sulphate, ferrous sulphate, and dilute sulphuric acid mixture, and the other contains sodium salicylate, benzoate or bicarbonate.
From these prescriptions, one assumes that certain cases of acne vulgaris have a decreased and others an increased gastric acidity. While this variation has been known as a clinical fact, apparently no definite studies of gastric acidity have been made. Having this fact in mind, and hoping for improvement in certain of our intractable cases, we decided to make gastric analyses on twenty-five patients suffering from acne vulgaris. The duration of the condition varied from three months to four years. The severity of