Our interest in the constituents of sweat was aroused by the conception that sweat may play a role as a protective coating against parasites and fungous infections in particular. The idea has especially interested us since in a previous communication two of us1demonstrated that a number of the lower fatty acids found in sweat were fungicidal and fungistatic. We then determined to study the fungicidal power of the sweat and of its individual components. When this fungicidal power was established, an attempt was made to treat fungous infections by topical application of some of the ingredients, singly and in combination. The importance of such therapy lies not in the fact that new and startling fungicidal agents are presented but in the fact that a more nearly physiologic approach to the therapy of fungous infections is proposed. Since these substances are more physiologic, they tend to be less irritating