PITYRIASIS VERSICOLOR (Gr. irtrvpiaccs, scurf, from airupOV,

bran)  , a skin disease, consisting of patches of brownish discolorations of various sizes and shapes, mostly on the front of the body, and often attended with itching, especially after heating exercise . The pigmentation seems to radiate from the orifices of hair-follicles . The epidermis is in a scaly condition over the patch, and among the debris of the epidermic cell there may be seen minute oval spores due to a vegetable parasite, the Microsporon furfur . The disease is mostly one of adult age, found all over the world, and not associated in any special way with poor general health . The treatment consists of rubbing in an ointment of potassium sulphide or one of the mercurial ointments, or using sulphur-soap habitually .