Cockayne suggested that all unusual cases of hereditary dermatoses be reported; therefore the following cases are reported.
As may be seen from the family chart, there was no previous history of any generalized or severe congenital dermatosis in the family history.
D. B., a white boy aged 5 years, when first seen, in April 1944, had a universally moderately erythematous, dry ichthyotic skin with pronounced scaling. Although the hair on his scalp was slightly sparse, the other dermal appendages were essentially normal. The nails were well formed. A younger brother aged 1½ years and a sister aged 3 years showed essentially the same cutaneous picture. The patient was put on treatment with high doses of vitamin A without any improvement. Unfortunately no biopsy specimen was obtained.
"Authorities are agreed that ichthyosis vulgaris is inherited and that it often skips one or more generations, but the published pedigrees are disappointingly few,