Phenobarbital, introduced to the medical profession as recently as 1911, has proved a useful sedative and hypnotic drug. However, Loewe1soon recognized that toxic manifestations might arise from its use. In spite of its increasingly widespread use, Menninger,2in 1928, could find only 41 reported cases of cutaneous eruptions. Undoubtedly, many others had gone unrecognized. Since 1928 the number of reports has increased and fatalities have been encountered, so that by 1934 a total of 408 deaths due to barbiturates had been recorded in the literature.3Various eruptions have been described as due to the use of phenobarbital. However, it is not generally recognized that from 1 to 5 per cent of persons taking the drug will show a toxic rash4and that these reactions may be so severe as to cause death.5 It is our desire to emphasize again the dangers inherent in the