With the introduction of oral griseofulvin1 and the demonstration of its effectiveness in onychomycosis,2,3 a simple oral therapy appeared at hand. Onychomycosis due to the common Trichophyton rubrum organism has long been considered incurable by most dermatologists, there being no reasonable, routinely effective therapy. Early in 1959, when griseofulvin became available to the authors, a study was begun to determine the optimum dosage required to clear nails diseased with Trichophyton rubrum.* It is the purpose of this preliminary report to outline our experiences to date in the treatment of onychomycosis with griseofulvin.
Since February of 1959, we have treated 55 patients. No topical remedies were prescribed during the course of this study. Forty-one adult white patients have been observed for three months or more to form the basis of this report. In all cases the involvement of the nails was characterized by elevation and separation of the nail