4103 cases suspected of mycoses were analysed as to sex, age and site of disease 
and 3891 were proved cases. This group formed 50% of total mycoses or 13-93% of 
all dermatoses recorded in the Government General Hospital, Madras, during the 
period of study. There were 66-26% adult female, 27-6% adult male and 6-14% were 
below 13 years. Dermatophytoses were found in 73-5%; the other common diseases 
were tinea versicolor (17-68%) and candidiasis (12-43%). Multiple sites of 
involvement or more than 1 disease in the same individual were mostly observed. 
The incidence of piedra (0-1%) and deep mycoses (0-156%) was very low. Mycetoma 
was the common disease (5/6) in deep mycoses. In dermatophytoses, tinea corporis 
(49-71%) and tinea cruris (47-85%) commonest; tinea axillaris (3-42%), tinea 
capitis (1-72%) and tinea barbae (1-29%) were less common. The incidence of 
tinea manuum, tinea pedis and tinea unguium was similar (4-97%-6-38%). High 
temperature and humidity were related to the higher incidence of tinea corporis, 
tinea cruris and tinea versicolor. Mainly children suffered from tinea capitis. 
All other mycoses were commonly found in adults between 2nd and 3rd decades. In 
all mycoses but candidiasis, female predominated. Cutaneous candidiasis was 
mainly a problem of housewives. Among the dermatophytes Trichophyton violaceum 
was predominant (33-7%) followed by T. rubrum (32-6%). Trichophyton schoenleinii 
and M. gypseum were rarely isolated. From mycetoma, Madurella mycetomii, 
Nocardia braziliensis, N. asteroides and Actinomadura spp. were isolated. 
Demonstration of Cryptococcus laurentii in 1 case is reported in this area for 
the first time.