A comparison of the diagnoses of the 10 most commonly encountered skin diseases in private practice just prior to 1930 is made with an equal number of dermatoses in the 18 months preceding Dec. 1, 1955. Although but 3,419 cases are under consideration in each list, they may serve the purpose of stressing the diagnoses most frequently encountered. This knowledge may be useful for undergraduate teaching. Incidentally, the increase in the number of cases of contact dermatitis listed is pointed out.
A casual remark by a prominent dermatologist at a recent meeting was of more than passing interest when he said, "The undergraduate teaching of dermatology in some of our leading medical colleges is in a sad way." (Observe that "some" was the word used, not "all.") Whether true or not, it was the sort of challenge which should cause all teachers of the subject to appraise their