COMPARATIVE CHEMICAL STUDY 497 down would result in a high content of pentose (or perhaps it might be best to say, high content of orcinol-positive material). The concentration of "penroses" in the aqueous extract of dandruff flakes was found to be considerably higher than that found in skin scrapings. The penrose content of dandruff flakes has been previously reported by Bolliger and Gross (13), and the values reported herein are in general agreement with their data. Further evidence for this type of incomplete metabolism of cellular material is seen in the higher amounts of citric acid cycle organic acids which appear in the chromatogram of dandruff vs. normal skin. Thus, the evidence collected here suggests that dandruff is a form of epidermal hyperplasia involving an increase in epidermal turnover. Whether this increase is due to increased mitotic index or an expansion of the germinative layer is unknown. The evidence collected does not support the contention that dandruff is merely normal flaking which adheres to the scalp because of large amounts of sebum, or being held by the hair. In addition, the theory relating dandruff to incomplete breakdown of the cementing substances, if true, probably is also based on too rapid an epidermal turnover. Finally, while this study points up the nature of the scaling phe- nomena in dandruff, it unfortunately sheds no new light on the causative factor. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to acknowledge the technical assistance of J. Kuo in performing these studies. (Received September 16, 1964) (•) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) REFERENCES Rosen, H., Arch. Blochem. Biophys., 67, 10 (1957). Flesch, P., and Khun, E., Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. M'ed., 74,249 (1950). McRay, W. I., and Slattery, M. C., Arch. Biochem., 6,151 (1945). WheatIcy, V. R., and Farber, E. M., J. Invest. Dermatol., 36, 199 (1961). Berry, H. K., and Warkany, S. F., Ibid., 41,371 (1963). Smith, I., Chromatographic Techniques, Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, 1958. Rothberg, S., Crounse, R. G., and Lee, J. L., J. Invest. Dermatol., 37,497 (1961). Van Scott, E. J., and Ekel, T. M., Arch. Dermatol., 88,373 (1963). Van Scott, E. J., and Flesch, P., Arch. Dermatol. Syphilol., 70,141 (1954). Zingsheim, J., Deut. Med. Wochschr., 77, 1630 (1952). Ogura, R., Knox, J. M., and Griffin, A. C., J. Invest. Dermatol., 35,125 (1960). Flesch, P., and Esoda, E. C. J., Ibid., 28, 5 (1957). Bolliger, A., and Gross, R., Australian J. Exptl. Biol.,/14,219 (1956). Flesch, P., and Esoda, E. C. J., J. Invest. Dermatol., 32,437 (1959).

498 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists The Fourth Congress of the I. F. S.C. C. will take place in Paris in June, 1966. The "Soci•t• Francaise de Cosmetologie" has created a scientific Committee consisting of: Dr. Ir. Velon Ir. Jean Morelie Dr. Collin This Committee wishes to receive conference papers before January 31, 1966. Each paper can be typed in the original language of the speaker. The French Committee will take care of the translation in English, French and German. General Secretary Dr. P. A.M. E. van Velzen Scheveningseweg 62 The Hague, The Netherlands