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belladonna and sodium bicarbonate were completelyavoided. If there had been no haemorrhage a mixeddiet was utilised at first, but in some severe casesmilk and cream was prescribed ; and in general themixed diet described by Prof. Glaessner appears toapproximate to that recommended by the majorityof physicians in this country. In these circumstancesit may well be argued that the pepsin injections playeda secondary part in the treatment, but the claims ofProf. Glaessner cannot be overlooked, especially ashe has found his method of treatment of use in suchresistant conditions as jejunal and oesophagealulcer, as well as for the simpler lesions in more usualsituations. As a practical suggestion the methodseems to deserve investigation in this country,while its theoretical aspect is of interest in relationto some of the observations on hydrochloric acidmentioned in our leading article last week.

THE LYMPHOID TISSUE IN THE LUNG.

AN interesting communication on the lymphoidtissue in the lung, by Drs. F. W. Simson and A.Sutherland Strachan, reaches us from the SouthAfrican Institute for Medical Research.l The authorsbelieve that the lymphatic apparatus of the lung isthe decisive factor in the localisation of inhaled dust

particles, and in the development of pneumokoniosis.According to their observations, dust-laden phagocytespass from the alveoli of the lung to small intra-

pulmonary collections of lymphoid tissue, and fromthese into the lymphatic vessels which drain into theextra-pulmonary lymph nodes. Presumably the

escape of phagocytes must be fairly complete, for thetracheo-bronchial lymph nodes may show typicalsilicotic fibrosis before recognisable changes occur

in the lung itself. Nevertheless, a certain amountof dust is retained in the lung, and this progressivelyincreases with the gradual obliteration of the lymphdrainage system. The demonstration of the localisationof lymphoid tissue in the lung is by no means easy.It is widely scattered and consists of minute aggrega-tions of lymphoid cells with, possibly, a supportingreticulum, but the nodules are indefinite and difficultto distinguish. They may be more prominent in

congestive and inflammatory states of the lung, butin these conditions it is impossible to be certain thatrecognisable collections of lymphocytes represent asimple exaggeration of the normal distribution ; theymay well be pathological new formations. In thesearch for material suitable for their needs, it occurredto the authors that the lungs of children said to havedied from " status lymphaticus

"

might present sucha hyperplasia of the normal lymphoid tissue as tomake its distribution clear. Whether or not the

diagnosis of the cause of death in these cases couldbe substantiated is immaterial; it is sufficient thatthe authors obtained lungs which, while apparentlyfree from changes due to previous disease, presented avery definite increase of lymphoid tissue. And aftercareful comparison with many other lungs it seemedcertain that these hyperplastic areas were normalin their distribution. Their preparations, some ofwhich are admirably illustrated in the paper, haveconvinced Dr. Simson and Dr. Strachan that previousdescriptions of the distribution of lymphoid tissuein the lung are in need of modification. It has been

1 Lymphoid Tissue in the Lung. Its Distribution as Illus-trated by a case of " Status Lymphaticus " and its Importancein the Localisation of Inhaled Particulate Matter. By F. W.Simson, M.B., Ch.B. Edin., and A. Sutherland Strachan, M.A.,B.Sc., M.D. Glasg. Publications of the South African Institutefor Medical Research. 1931.

r described, for example, as occurring along the courseL of the pulmonary artery and at the junction of the; smaller tributaries with the larger branches of theB pulmonary veins. But in this series of cases, theI distribution of lymphoid tissue is in strict relation" with the respiratory tract, and is in no way related: to the vascular system except in situations where- air passages and blood-vessels come into juxtaposition ; and even here it seems clear that the: association is in no sense physiological but purely

anatomical. Lymph channels traverse the lung, ofcourse, in close relation with blood-vessels, but in nopart of their course do they appear to be interruptedby lymph nodes ; these appear to be functionallyrelated to the air tubes, and the air tubes alone.The authors discuss the application of their observa-tions to the localisation of infections as. well as dust,and suggest that chronic tuberculosis of the lungaffects first the lymphoid tissue when the infectingdose is minimal. Further work on these lines is in

progress, and the subject appears to be one wellworth pursuing. ____

A GREAT JOURNALIST.

THE bond between editors, whether of technical

journals or of daily newspapers, is, or should be,a common ideal. Whether the screen on whichthey display the moving picture of their times is

large or small, neither editors nor the journals theyconduct will gain recognition or esteem unless theysee to it that the light which illuminates the picturethrows a steady beam of truth. The public fromwhom they seek support may be drawn from allclasses and schools of thought, or may follow a

special discipline, but it is quick, and growing rapidlyquicker, to detect distortions, omissions, or artificialdevices in the presentation of facts. These reflectionsarise from the news of the death of a great journalist,C. P. Scott. Every journalist has been assailed bythe temptation to adjust facts to support a theoryor to fit a policy, and learns early to regard integrityin this respect as a major virtue in his colleagues.This virtue, with many others, was in Scott, andhis good repute will long be a public memory.

Mr. Wilfred Trotter, F.R.S., has succeeded Sir HughRigby as sergeant-surgeon to the King, and Sir Hughbecomes an honorary surgeon to His Majesty.

Dr. George Proctor Middleton has been appointedsurgeon apothecary to H.M. Household at Balmoral,in place of Sir Alexander Hendry, who has resigned.

The King has nominated Mr. Douglas Hacking,M.P., to be for five years a member of the GeneralMedical Council, in succession to Sir Edward Hilton

Young, now Minister of Health.

THE Hunterian Oration of the Royal College of

Surgeons of England will be delivered on Monday, .

Feb. 15th, at 4 P.M., at the College by Mr. WilfredTrotter. In the evening a dinner will be given bythe President and Council of the College.

HOSPITAL GROUNDS AS BIRD SANCTUARY.-TheSouth Staffordshire joint small-pox hospital board hasrefused to entertain an application for the letting of shootingrights in the grounds of the hospital. The reason given isthat, as the result of the scheme of afforestation some yearsago, the waste land on which the hospital was originallyplaced has become a bird sanctuary.