I•UESTION AND •ANSWER 199 and not quite so well developed as in other parts of the body where sebaceous glands are found. The sebum in the duct, at a temperature just below 30øC becomes pasty and solid. It cannot flow out of the duct on to the surface of the skin, even though there may be contraction of the arrector muscle which normally causes a squeezing of the sebaceous gland. When the hand is wet, dry cold wind will bring about a greater lowering of tem- perature of the surface of the skin because of evaporative effects. In these conditions the sebum fails to flow and protect the skin, and chapping occurs readily. (Sebum requires to be heated appreciably above its setting point before becoming fluid again.) Much has been said about the skin needing moisture, which it does. However, the skin needs moisture in special places. The skin becomes dry as the outer layer loses moisture. The cells dry out and become horny as they get nearer the surface and finally flake off. If the process starts too low down there is general deterioration, chapping and hardening of the skin. If water can be put back inside the cells so as to re-hydrate the plasma much can be done for the skin. It seems more important to retain the water already there by a protective layer of fatty matter. In this connection, care should be exercised in the application of humectants on the skin. If the atmosphere is dry such hygroscopic materials may extract moisture from the skin, doing more harm than good. Liquid water may not be very efficient in softening the top layers of the skin. Moisture or water vapour is better. From water-in-oil emulsions water is released gradually in the form of vapour, particularly when in thin films as rubbed on the skin. This moisture release takes place at the oil-skin interface as well as the oil-air interface. Therefore moisture is held at the skin surface for a considerable time. In this sense there is some virtue in the term "moisturising." (Received: 27th March 1962) Event No. Tu. 1 Second Congress of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS TUESDAY, 3rd JULY 9.00 Openin• of Conl•ress: School of Pharmacy, University of London, Brunswick Square, W.C.1. (1) The Dean of the School of Pharmacy. (2) The President of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists. (3) The President of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists of Great Britain.

200 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS Tu. 1.1 9.25 Tu. 1.2 9.55 10.25 Tu. 1.3 10.40 Tu. 1.4 11.10 Tu. 1.5 11.40 12.10--13.45 Congress Session 1. Experimental Methods. Chairman: Dr. G. Carrierre (Netherlands). Colour Measurement. A. N. DEm•YSHIm• (Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd., Manchester). The Sebographic Skin Test. DR. K. R6TH (Walter Rau & Co., Stuttgart, Germany). COFFEE. Estimation of Perspiration InsensibiIis. L. •EIIAK AND DR. P. HYBA•EK (Czechoslovakia). The Measurement and Importance of the Secretion of Sebum. PROF. DR. G. L•.JHAN•.C, DR. P. HY•A•.K ^ND V. V¾•XN. (Palacky University, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia). Design and Analysis of product performance trials in a hairdressing salon. P.H. CRYER (Beecham Toiletry Division Ltd., Brentford, Middlesex). LUNCH. W. 1 W.l.1 W. 1.2 W. 1.3 W. 1.4 W. 1.5 W. 2 W. 2.1 W. 2.2 W. 2.3 W. 2.4 W. 2.5 Th. 1 Th. 1.1 Th. 1.2 9.45 10.20 Th. 1.3 10.35 Th. 1.4 11.10 Th. 1.5 11.45 12.10 WEDNESDAY, 4th JULY Congress Session 2. Properties of Skin. Chairman: Dr. H. Heinrich (U.S.A.). 9.00 Epidermal Permeability. DR. F. R. B•.Tr•.•.¾ (Middlesex Hospital, London). 9.35 The Mechanism of Allergic Contact Sensitization. PROF. C. D. CA•.NAN, M.R.C.P. (St. John's Hospital for Diseases of the Skin, London). 10.10 COFFEE. 10.25 Effect of some Minerals on Isolated Epidermis and Dermis. P•or. DR. J. W. H. Mn•.x (R.C. University, Nijmegen, Holland). 11.00 Study of the Dermal Neutralising Capacity. DR. MASAJI SAITOH AND M•SAKO D4OMATA (Shiseido Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan). 11.35 Hazards and Fallacies in Clinical Tests. DR. D. S. WmKI•4SON (Aylesbury and High Wycombe Hospitals). 12.10--13.45 LUNCH. Congress Session 3. Treatment of Skin and Mouth. Chairman: Dr. L. W. Masch (Germany). 13.45 Application of Glycyrrhetinic Acid and its Derivatives. DR. P. Rov•.sTx (Italy). 14.20 The Cosmetological Application of Lysozyme Chloride. DR. G. VANDONI, DR. P. ROVESTI AND DR. M. ARBASINO (Italy). 14.55 Oral Hygiene Problems. PROF. DR. T. LAMMERS (Hygienisches Institut, Dortmund, Germany). 15.30 TEA. 15.45 Oral Clearance. DR. B. R. W. P•v4S•.NT (Unilever Ltd., Colworth, Beds.). 16.20 Free paper, if any. THURSDAY, 5th JULY Congress Session 4. Surface and Physical Chemistry. Chairman: E. Thomsen (Denmark). 9.10 The Dissolution of Fats and Oils in Surface Active Agents. PROF. J. T. D^v•.s (Birmingham University). The Mode of Interaction of Surface Active Agents with Solid Surfaces. DR. R. H. OWT•W•LL (Cambridge University). COFFEE. The Preservation of some Bi-phasic Systems. DR. A.M. COOK DR. A. BRINGS (London University, School of Pharmacy). The Removal of Radio-isotope Contamination from Surfaces. D•. D.G. Sw•.vsNso• (U.K.A.E.A., Aldermaston, Berks.). Free paper, if any. Closing of Congress.