Alfred Blaschko. born in 1858. was never affiliated to any academic institution, but worked in private practice in Berlin. When he died in 1 922. his celebrity was tiiainly founded on his successful fight against venereal diseases by the application of rather modern concepts of social hygiene.^ In 1902, together with Albert Neisser, he founded the'Gesellschaft zur Bekampfung der Geschlechtskrankheiten'(Society for the Fight against Venereal Disease), an institution which is still active. However, during his lifetime. Blaschko's work on linear skin diseases had also gained recognition; in an obituary note, Abraham Buschke'wrote the prophetic words:'For all further studies in this Held this work will continue to be of fundamental importance, and by itself will be enough to preserve Bla. schko's name as an outstanding dermatologist now and forever.'

In I9S7 I had the opportunity to visit his son. Dr Hermann Blaschko of Oxford, a pharmacologist who is known as a pioneer in the field of catecholamine research.''He kindly loaned me a book containing his father's bookplate (Fig. I). It shows Hygieia. the (ireek goddess of health, with the'naevus lines' superimposed. The artist who drew the picture is unknown. Dr Blaschko estimated that his father had this ex lihris made shortly after I 901. The bookplate nicely illustrates the fact that Blaschko himself attributed great importance to his' naevus lines'.