Remembering the Pioneers of Topical Agents
Abstract
While everyone remembers seeing a traveling salesman pushing “Dr Smith’s Wonder Pills” or something similar in a Class B Western movie, many have forgotten that several serious dermatologic preparations carry the name of a colleague of the past. These former mainstays of dermatologic therapy are disappearing because proof of efficacy is lacking, a declining interest in compounding them, and the inclusion of ingredients no longer deemed suitable for topical use. We recall a...