ABNORMALITIES IN THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE SKIN SURFACE FILM IN PSORIASIS

Abstract

ANALYSIS of the surface film of the uninvolved skin in psoriasis as compared with that of the skin of normal persons was undertaken on the basis of a working hypothesis which seems to be in accord with all known data on psoriasis. Psoriasis, on one hand, has features of diseases caused by micro-organisms, such as peripheral spread and central healing of the lesions with formation of annular elements and arciform edges. On the other hand, it is a familial disease with irregularly dominant mendelian inheritance.¹ In the present hypothesis it is assumed that it is the susceptibility to the unknown causative organisms which is inherited. The organism is ubiquitous but only those persons who have genetically induced susceptibility will acquire lesions on contact with the organism. Thus psoriasis is not contagious though it is caused by an infective agent. The lesions of psoriasis can be cleared