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A series of unusual lesions of surgical interest among narcotic addicts was presented, their associated problems in surgery briefly discussed, and the surgical management of narcotic addicts commented on.

THERE IS little doubt that alcohol (ethanol) is one of the most commonly abused drugs of addiction in the United States. In addition to other harmful effects of its excess use, alcohol can cause physical dependence. This aspect of alcohol abuse is important from a medical viewpoint because the abstinence reactions that can result from such dependence are not uncommon and some of them can be serious. Thus, delirium tremens has a mortality rate as high as 15%.1In the past there was some doubt that alcohol could cause physical dependence. It was thought by some that "rum fits" or delirium tremens were associated with alcohol intoxication rather than being precipitated by its withdrawal after physical dependence had developed. The careful clinical observations of Victor and Adams,1 and the controlled experiments of Isbell et al2 in man confirmed that these clinical states are precipitated by

Beneficial results from the feeding of creatine precursors have been reported in cases of cardiac disease1 and, more recently, in those in which muscles had been affected in poliomyelitis.2 The biochemical basis of glycocyamine (guanidine-acetic acid)-betaine (the anhydride of trimethyl glycocoll) therapy has been reviewed by Borsook and Borsook.3 A marked sthenic effect was observed in cases of congestive heart failure. This consisted of early improvement in the sense of well-being, lessening of fatigue, and greater strength and endurance. In patients that had suffered disabilities of poliomyelitis, Borsook, Billig, and Golseth reported, in addition to the improvements mentioned, a substantial increase in motor unit activity recorded electromyographically during the first three weeks of therapy, if the muscles had demonstrated residual function in the pretreatment assay. Following this initial period, a significant increment in power was found to occur in the next two months.In January, 1951, we