ERYTHEMA EXUDATIVUM MULTIFORME OF HEBRA AND OF OSLER

To the Editor: —Dr. E. Rose (Arch. Int. Med. 79: 360 [March] 1947) has criticized the Commission on Acute Respiratory Disease for failure to include in the differential diagnosis of erythema exudativum multiforme the group of cases which Osier published many years ago under the title On the Visceral Complications of Erythema Exudativum Multiforme ( Am. J. M. Sc . 110: 629 [Dec.] 1895). Dr. Rose stressed the similarity of title in the diseases described by von Hebra and by Osler, although he fully realized that the two conditions are different. Whereas the need for this differential diagnosis is undoubtedly true, the comments of Dr. Rose indicate an appraisal of the Osler group of cases which is not supported by the historical data or by the contents of the paper to which he referred. Since Osler is an important historical figure in medicine, it seems fitting to attempt a more complete appraisal