STATISTICAL AND HISTOLOGIC STUDIES OF FORDYCE'S DISEASE

LITERARY REVIEW  In 1896, Fordyce¹ reported Fordyce's disease as a peculiar affection of the mucous membrane of the lips and oral cavity; it has now become well known. Fordyce found spots in, nearly every case examined, varying in extent from a few bodies confined to the lips to an involvement of both labial and buccal mucous membranes; both conditions were found in persons who were and who were not related. The younger the person affected, the larger and more grouped were the bodies. As the subject grew older the bodies became more numerous, and judging from their smaller size, underwent atrophy. They were not remarked before puberty and occurred regardless of sex. In most cases a seborrheic eczema was associated. The most important microscopic changes consisted in a degeneration of an unknown nature in the epidermal cytoplasm, and Fordyce was inclined to attribute the affection to this—not to sebaceous