EXPERIMENTAL STAPHYLOCOCCAL FOLLICULITIS

Abstract

IN A PREVIOUS paper¹ I described the way in which the experimental incubation of staphylococci on the skin gave rise to a variety of poral lesions which, in the case of the sweat pores, resembled bullous impetigo and miliaria rubra. Brief mention was made of the fact that these same experiments gave rise to follicular lesions, namely, follicular impetigo (Bockhart), acneform pustules, and abortive furunculosis.² My purpose in this paper is to describe and discuss these follicular lesions in more detail. PROCEDURE Staphylococci grow abundantly on nutrient agar containing 8% by weight of sodium chloride ("salt agar"), whereas bacteria of most other genera are inhibited or destroyed.³ This selective property of salt agar was used to induce pure staphylococcal infection of the skin in the following manner. (Fuller details are given in the earlier paper.¹) Nine normal volunteers were selected, and to each