The earliest description of oesophageal atresia as a pathological entity was given by William Durston (1) in 1670. The first typical case of oesophageal atresia with tracheo-oesophageal fistula was recognized by Thomas Gibson (2) in 1697. Since then an increasing number of reports appeared. In 1861 Hirschsprung (3) presented 10 cases of oesophageal atresia in 1880 Mackenzie (4) collected 37 cases, in 1919 Plass (5) collected cases reported to that date numbering 136. Rosenthal (6) in 1931 reviewed the world literature pertaining to the subject and collected 255 cases. In the last 25 years the malformation has been recognized with increasing frequency and numerous large series have appeared in the literature. Attention has been centered not only on the correct diagnosis but also on the surgical treatment of this anomaly. Varied concepts of surgical approach and a large body of experimental work have found their way into the medical journals. [...]

Before immunity was demonstrated to be a major factor in homograft rejection, sorne hypotheses have been suggested to explain the destruction of the transplants. Sorne of them could have still importance although the immunological hypothesis is well established. [...]

Prometheus, creator of mankind, stole fire from the chariot of the sun and in defiance of the all-powerful Zeus gave it to mankind. Zeus, enraged, had Prometheus chained to a mountain pillar where greedy vultures tore at his liver all day, year in and year out. There was to be no end to Prometheus' punishment since each night his liver grew whole again (1). [...]

The respiratory dead space may be defined as the space within the oro- nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx and tracheo-bronchial tree which does not participate in gas exchange. Even though the dead space is considered as not participating in respiratory gas exchange, it is important in that it serves as a functional buffer to protect against any unphysiological effects resulting from sudden changes in the nature of the gas breathed. [...]

Shock is a ubiquitous term. It is a term commonly heard in both scientific and non-scientific environments. It is a term so commonly used that it's meaning has become clouded. A perusal of scientific literature reveals a varied interpretation. This variety of opinion has led many to refrain from using the term, and some to suggest is abandonment. [...]

Strontium originating from nuclear detonations has now been disseminated throughout the globe and measurable quantities of this radionuclide are present in practically all surface soil, food and human bone. The biological chain of radiostrontium has been extensively investigated in the last two decades. These have shown that strontium is similar but not identical with calcium in its metabolic behaviour in mammals. [...]

Ventricular fibrillation is the usual fatal episode in the natural history of coronary artery disease. First described by Ludwig and Hoffa in 1849 (1), it continues to confuse the medical intellect, killing when anatomic disease is mild and stopping a good heart as readily as a damaged heart. [...]

The establishment or special treatment and rehabilitation centres has greatly improved the outlook in paraplegia, but serious chronic urological complications are still much too common. Any new approach is welcome and it is interesting to note that experimentation on electrical stimulation or the bladder bas now reached a clinical stage. [...]

Fourteen million Amerieans suffer from heart disease and another fourteen million are suspect (124). About half of the deaths each year in the United States and Canada are due to cardiovascular causes and of these 20% result from coronary artery disease (279). In Canada about 43,000 persons annually succumb to acute heart attacks (50). In the United States, 8oo,ooo persons sutfer from coronary occlusion and myocardial intarction each year and approximately 25% die during their first attack. The surviving 75% are relatively incapacitated and one third never return to gainf'ul employment. Many suffer from angina pectoris and such persons live an average of ten years after the onset of symptoms, with the statistical anticipation of dying from coronary heart disease or its complication (33, 140). [...]

In recent years, vagotomy has became an essential part of the surgical treatment of peptic ulcer. It is generally accepted that the success of vagotomy in the treatment of peptic ulcer is related to its effect on acid secretion. [...]