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1. A method for determining phagocytic indices for E. histolyticawith rabbit red blood cells has been described. 2. The effect of several drugs on the ability of E. histolyticato phagocytose rabbit RBC has been tested and recorded. 3. All drugs tested were found capable of reducing the ability of the amoebae to phagocytose rabbit RBC. A range for this activity was established under the conditions used. 4. Certain differences in the effect of the different compounds were observed. 5. The effect of anti-amoebic serum on the phagocytic indices of 4 strains of E. histolyticawas tested. It was found that definite reductions could be obtained.

Since the earliest report1 of the use of antimetabolites in the treatment of psoriasis, the secondary toxic manifestations have precluded their general acceptance. While there have been favorable comments on the use of aminopterin (4-aminopteroyl glutamic acid) in a few reports,2-4 attention has also been drawn to the lack of responsiveness to low dose levels5 and to the toxic effects of this drug when used in sufficiently high dosages.6Gastrointestinal toxicity was noted in 2 out of 3 patients first treated with aminopterin on this service. Hence, the application of other antimetabolites to the therapy of refractory psoriasis was undertaken.Mercaptopurine (6-mercaptopurine, Purinethol) is a synthetic analogue of adenine and of the purine base hypoxanthine. It is reported to interfere with nucleic acid biosynthesis.7 There is one report of apparent failure of psoriasis to respond to a very limited course of therapy with the drug.

Total serum cholesterol was determined in eight boys and eight girls selected at random for each age from seven through twelve in schools with children from the following three population groups: urban upper-income business and professional families, urban lower-income families living in a poor district of Guatemala City, and lower-income families in a rural village. The former consumed about 69 g of protein per day and received 37 per cent of their calories from fat as compared with 47 g and 15 per cent for the urban lower-income and 67 g of protein and 8 per cent of fat calories for the rural group. The amount of animal protein consumed by the three groups was 39, 10, and 6 g respectively. The urban children tended to be heavier and taller; their skin-folds over the mid-triceps area were thicker. The serum cholesterol levels showed no age differences within groups. The average cholesterol values for boys were: urban upper-income, 187.2 mg/100 ml (Standard Deviation: 26.8); urban lower-income, 143.0 mg/100 ml (S.D. 28.9) and rural lower-income, 121.1 mg/100 ml (S.D. 24.0). The corresponding values for girls were: 187.6 (S.D. 29.9); 156.0 (S.D. 29.5) and 127.7 mg/l00 ml (S.D. 24.0). All of the serum cholesterol differences among the groups were statistically significant.

IN THE PAST 25 years the value of oral aminopyrine therapy for the suppression of symptoms of diabetes insipidus has gone unmentioned in medical literature. The authors, confronted with a case of idiopathic diabetes insipidus, have employed the use of aminopyrine with successful amelioration of the symptoms of this disease. It is of interest that the patient manifested the uncommon combination of idiopathic diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus. REPORT OF A CASE A 43-year-old white male entered the Brooklyn Veterans Administration Hospital on Feb. 1, 1960, with the chief complaint of polyuria and polydipsia. The patient's history dated back to 3 years prior to admission when he developed a rapid onset of marked thirst, consuming up to 8-12 liters of fluid a day, associated with a polyuria during the day and a 1-2 time nocturia. At the time of the initial complaints the patient was evaluated by his physician

In the belief that marginal ulcer that develops after subtotal gastrectomy is a distinct clinical entity, a study that evaluates the medical versus the surgical management of this disease was undertaken. Sixty-four patients with marginal ulcer were followed-up through a 10-year period. Most of the patients were managed on medical therapy alone. Seven of the 28 patients operated on represented medical failures. There was one surgical death and a recurrence of symptoms in nine of the 28 patients operated upon for marginal ulcer. In the medically treated group there was no mortality nor major morbidity such as gastrojejunocolic fistulas. We suggest that a reappraisal of the management of marginal ulcer after sub-total gastrectomy is in order.