DIABETIC GANGRENE OF THE FACE

Gangrene of parts of the body other than the extremities is to be considered a rare complication of diabetes mellitus. Gangrene of the nasal septum and turbinates in diabetes has been described both in America¹ and abroad.² Bulger³ has described gangrene of the right half of the tongue in diabetes, Riven⁴ a disseminated cutaneous lesion which he termed diabetic dermatitis gangraenosa, Elkin⁵ diabetic gangrene involving the vulva, and Sturgis⁶ diabetic gangrene of the lip.

My purpose in this report is to present the little known association of diabetes mellitus and staphylococcic gangrene of the face. A search of the literature reveals only three cases⁷ involving the cheek, two of which closely resemble clinically the conditions to be described here. The clinical picture has been noted only casually, and laboratory and pathologic reports are either scanty or lacking. This complication of diabetes mellitus presents