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The authors carried out an autopsy-based study aimed at better definition of the placement and flow direction of lymphatic vessels and lymph node stations of the breasts. These anatomosurgical data should prove valuable in relation to tumoral pathology of the breast.

A group of 48 patients of differing age and sex, suffering from 3rd degree hemorrhoids with pulmonary, cardiac or renal disease, epilepsy or scleroderma, so that the traditional operation under general anaesthesia is contraindicated, is examined. Cryosurgical haemorrhoidectomy, without hospitalisation, under local anaesthesia of anal sphincter led in all these patients to cure verified rectoscopically 2-3 months after the operation. The postoperative course was entirely normal, with pain symptoms that were sharp in 7 cases, limited in 14. A serohematic secretion occurred for about a week in 6 patients. Normal living and working activity was resumed on average after about 11 days.

In view of the larger number of operations on the bottom third of the oesophagus recently necessary in the destructive surgical therapy for tumours, the Authors re-examine 50 cases of oesophago-gastric and oesophago-jejunal anastomoses and stress the importance of accurate anastomoses, preferably single-layer in order to avoid early and delayed complications.

The AA. consider the problem of mammary cancer in the woman more than 70 years old. The incidence of this tumor is about 30% and therefore it is necessary an exact start of therapy. For the AA. the therapy must base itself essentially on a good locoregional treatment, that comes from the constant association of simple mastectomy, if possible with axillary curage, with radiant therapy with small dosages and for a long time, in case with alternate ranges. The systemic treatment must base itself fundamentally and only on an aspecific immunotherapy that can be begun very early and on an hormonal therapy. This hormonal therapy should be suggested, where is possible, by the results of hormonal dosage on plasma and urine.

The Authors value risk factors as well as they are supplied by the epidemiologic studies about breast cancer; they value the importance of its prevention and try a connection with the cyclic endocrine balance in the correlation hypothalamus, hypophysis, and ovary.

The Authors discuss the incidence of mammary carcinoma in the course of pregnancy and its treatment. On the strength of their own experience as well as in the light of published data, they advocate prompt and complete local and regional treatment by surgery and irradiation whenever possible. In their opinion, the concomitant pregnancy does not constitute a contraindication.

The authors review their splenectomy records for the last ten years and discuss complications and mortality in relation to the indications for such surgery in each case. They conclude that both immediate and delayed postoperative mortality reflects mainly the underlying disease rather than surgical trauma; in their clinical material, complications were never severe and at any rate readily brought under control.

The Authors consider the surgical and sclerosant therapy as treatment of essential varices of lower limbs. On the ground of their experience, they codify the indication to these two treatments that must be considered complementary. The results are always good when indications are right.

The Authors re-examined 50 cases of various ages and both sexes subjected to total gastrectomy for neoplasia, without any other chemotherapic or radiant collateral treatmente, and analyse the sequelae following total removal of the stomach. On the basis of the data collected, they conclude on the importance of an adequate reconstructive technique, in particular stressing the utility of preservation of the duodenal transit and the need for suitable dietetic-pharmacological conduct in the years following the operation.

In the light of their own experience the authors assess the cryosurgical method in the treatment of hemorrhoids; they point out that this method is especially suitable for patients that cannot be treated by conventional hemorrhoidectomy because of associated pathology. With cryosurgery the authors have obtained radical surgical cures without any major complication and with a definitely lower incidence of discomfort than with the conventional surgical technic.

After a brief review of thermal physics and physiology, the authors explain the applications of cholesterol ester plates in the study of breast malignancy. Accumulated experience plus the fruits of statistical studies conducted in leading centers, make it advantageous to use contact thermography not only for the early diagnosis of breast malignancy but also for mass screening of the general population. In competent hands, this technic yields accurate and dependable diagnosis; the method is completely harmless to patient and physician and can be used as many times as needed; and in addition, the method is economical both in terms of time consumed and of actual cost of materials. The new method does not supersede roentgenological investigation indiscriminately but confines it to cases that remain doubtful or suspicious after clinical and thermographic examination.