To the Editor.—
The virus of herpes simplex is susceptible to ether in vitro.1 This led to a suggestion that local application of ether may prove a useful method in the treatment of patients with this disease. Since the present methods of treating herpes simplex are far from satisfactory, our success with this method has encouraged us to report our initial observations.
Method of Treatment
In 11 typical cases of herpes simplex (herpes progenitalis, 6 cases; herpes labialis, 5), the dates of previous attacks were recorded. Every patient was given a special treatment which consisted of soaking a piece of cotton in a sufficient quantity of anesthetic ether and pressing this swab over the entire region of the eruption for five minutes. Drying up of the swab by evaporation of the ether was prevented by covering it with the palm of the hand. No other local or systemic medicine was