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Andrew P. Truhan, MD; Adelaide A. Hebert, MD; Nancy B. Esterly, MD
Division of Dermatology The Children's Memorial Hospital 2300 Children's Plaza Chicago, IL 60614

Arch Dermatol. 1985;121(8):970-971.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

The clinical diagnosis of superficial fungal disease of the skin is confirmed by direct microscopic examination and culture of cutaneous scrapings. The most commonly used instrument for scraping is the No. 10 or No. 15 scalpel blade. However, the scalpel blade frequently presents a problem due to its sharpness and lack of flexibility. We describe herein a valuable instrument that offers a safer, easier way to obtain material for mycologic study.

The Joseph double-edge knife is a 15-cm, stainless-steel plastic surgery instrument available in several types and sizes (Fig 1). Its nondisposable blunt-edged blade may be large or small, straight or curved, and sharp or bluntly tipped. We prefer a curved, bluntly tipped Joseph doubleedge knife to obtain skin scrapings from the patient in the usual manner (Fig 2). To guard against the potential for patient-to-patient transfer of infection, we do not recommend re-use of the knife . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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