On May 3, 1954, a mother brought in two children, ages 8 and 11 years, because of alopecia of the scalp, which she herself called "moth eaten." She had feared that the condition was "ringworm."
Little history was obtained, since the mother had noticed the alopecia only recently—a week, or two —and only the story of the children was available. The patients' home was adacent to some wooded ground which the children frequented. They indicated that their itching of the scalp came when they were in the woods. In fact, the children's repeated insistence that their itching and scalp trouble came from the woods became notable in contrast to the mother's repeated concern regarding ringworm and her suggestions as to its possible source.
Upon examination, the appearance of the scalp of each child was much as described by the mother, that is, "moth eaten," and superficially resembled the