DIAGNOSIS OF SCLEROMA

ALTHOUGH SCLEROMA is clinically and pathologically a recognized disease entity and many case studies have been published describing the syndrome as seen in the acute form, knowledge of the disease is limited by a lack of precise information concerning the etiologic agent. Chevalier Jackson1 put the matter mildly when he said, "Though unanimity of opinion is lacking, it is generally accepted that the causative organism is the Bacillus rhinoscleromatis." This acceptance is not in evidence in bacteriologic texts. Gay2 stated, "K. rhinoscleromatis bears some as yet obscure relationship with the disease rhinoscleroma. It appears, however, commonly to be a secondary invader in the lesions characteristic of the disease." Wilson and Miles3 said, "... there is very little evidence to show that this organism is primarily responsible for it. There is no means by which it can be distinguished with certainty from other members of the capsulated group; and since we