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Plasma motilin concentrations were measured in eight controls and 11 patients with radiolucent gallstones over a period of 3-4 h following an overnight fast. In five of these patients the interdigestive motor complex (IDMC) was studied simultaneously. The results indicate: a) cyclical changes of plasma motilin concentrations (mean cycle duration 110 +/- 9.9 and 102 +/- 8.4 min, means +/- SEM) and a significant correlation between the basal intercyclical motilin concentrations and the age (p less than 0.02) in the controls and the gallstone patients studied, and b) a significant correlation between the maximal motilin increase and the age in the controls (p less than 0.01) but not in the gallstone patients. The results therefore suggest a different behaviour of the interdigestive motilin patterns in controls and gallstone patients. As the motilin cycles were accompanied in 90% with an IDMC in the five patients studied this conclusion might include an abnormal interdigestive motor activity within the intestinal tract in gallstone patients.

Pulmonary sequestration is a relatively rare condition in which a part of lung tissue has no or only a secondary connection with the tracheobronchial tree. Blood supply comes from the aorta in anomalous branches. Sequestrations may be intra- or extralobar. Gerle et al. include both types in the general term congenital bronchopulmonary foregut malformation. Two surgically confirmed observations of bilateral intralobar pulmonary sequestrations are reported. The clinical features are recurrent respiratory infections with cough, fever and purulent sputum. X-rays only show nonspecific alterations. Chronic changes in the lower lobes should draw attention to pulmonary sequestration. Thoracic aortography is the procedure of choice in establishing the diagnosis and should always be carried out preoperatively. Segmental resection or lobectomy is the indicated treatment.

Due to the findings in 10 children with tuberculosis, which has been proved by cultural methods or animal test, it is advisable to take the following into consideration: The possibility of tuberculosis must be assumed for each BCG-vaccination child, that shows symptoms of disease of uncertain aetiology and that has had or might have had contact with a person with active tuberculosis. Among the diagnostic procedure proof and typing of the tubercle bacillus are considered to be most important.