To the Editor:—
I believe Dr. Kingery is "myth"staken in seeming to exclude otomycosis as an entity. It is my belief that he is failing to recognize mycotic involvement of the ear canal because he feels that the dermatitis on the external part, or pinna, is not due to mold. I, as an otologist, am in agreement with him here.Mold infections are located in the ear canal where it is warm and moist; these conditions are not found on the pinna. When the black mold, or Aspergillus niger, is found in the canal, and it is readily seen, it produces a burning, itching, most irritating set of symptoms. Surely, this can be called otomycosis. It promptly clears with an antifungal preparation (Salicresin, basically 2% salicylic acid in alcohol). This is not so with the more external dermatitis, well shown in his photographs. These latter, I refer to a dermatologist.