At the risk of making Jack and I sound like a mutual congratulation
society, I have to say (as my hundreds of students know) that I agree with
him 100% re .5% aqueous gentian violet. Simple, cheap, effective. One dose
is often enough; it can be re-applied if symptoms recur;
non-resistance-forming.  Alas, in Australia unavailable from pharmacies
without prescription after that study on mice (or was it rats?) fed massive
amounts showed a potential for carcinogenesis. I tell students about the
groups given exemptions by the US FDA from bans on the use of gv: surgeons,
who say it's the best skin marker; and manufacturers of confectionery, who
said they didn't have any other purple dye that worked as well. Ho hum. Is
there anyone out there who has a copy of the original mouse research on
this? It's something I want to write about and so far haven't got organised
to so. Maureen