The case herein reported is one of probable diphtheritic eczema of the skin of the auricle and external auditory canal. Bart1 over one hundred years ago called attention to this infection. In 1922 Biberstein2 made a classification of the disease and gave therapeutic suggestions.
REPORT OF CASE
The patient, a white woman aged 32, was first examined on Feb. 15, 1939, at which time she presented an erythematous vesicular and exudative dermatitis involving the right auditory canal, the entire right auricle and a large area of skin on the right side of the face and neck. There was a purulent discharge from the middle ear. She gave a history of infection of the middle ear which began four months previously. During the past month the middle ear was treated by an otologist. About this time the right auricle became reddened and edematous (fig. 1). Shortly afterward vesicles appeared,