The Authors describe the results obtained by their studies concerning the reaction of histocompatibility to homografts, the origin of parvicellular infiltration and regional lymphonodular modifications due to a skin graft.

The acceptance or reject of a homograft in rabbit twins makes it possible to establish the presence of MZ twins. As for the parvicellular infiltration, noticed in the case of kidney homografts, according to the researches of the Authors, who have depressed the graft by means of irradiation, it may be assumed that it is originated either from the graft, or from the host.

The study of regional lymph-nodes in the skin homograft in rabbit shows an evident proliferation of the lymphoreticular tissue starting in the very early days, when the graft is viable; in a subsequent stage corresponding to the graft's elimination there is a clear prevalence of plasmocytary elements in the lymphatic cords.

The homograft in mice of the inbred line C57 BL6 shows the graft's acceptance by tissural reactions equivalent to the ones of the autograft.

The homograft from random mouse on inbred mice shows the absence of a histiocytary lymphonodular reaction of the epithelioid type, which may be observed sometimes in the reaction to the allogenic homograft in the rabbit; it would be then a subsequent reaction not related to histocompatibility phenomena.

The reported cases of aseptic gangrene of the skull in a brother and his sister, induce the Authores to reexamine the present theories on the etiopathogenesis of primitive gangrene of the newborn and to put forth the hypothesis of a hereditary etiology. The Authors stress the consanguinity of the parents and interpeter the case as a localised skull aplasia probably inherited with a recessive monomeric hereditary mechanism.

The present report is of an infant male twin (Don) who developed a depressive illness with onset at 8½ months of age. At 22 months of age, Don's depressive expression and attitude gave way to an expression of toughness which was rewarded by the mother's increased attention to him when he would show his « though look ». Such a transformation of affect in Don is understood as partly adaptational (object capturing), partly defensive (denial of object loss), and partly characterological (counter-phobic attitudes developed). The twin sister, Donna, toward whom the mother was much closer, was spared such an illness. The presence of depression in Don and the lack of it in Donna is understood on the basis of interrelated experiential and constitutional (genetic and maturational) factors in development.

The study is reported in order to illustrate the use of twins in the exploration of differences, both constitutional and environmental, which surround development in boys and girls, while the parents's stage of development remains constant.

1. A tapeto-retinal degeneration can be observed in association with a disturbance in the metabolism of the lipids.

2. This fact gives a new argument in favor of the hypothesis that the tapeto-retinal degeneration is due to a metabolic alteration and more probably to an enzymatic disturbance in the sensorial epithelium of the retina.

3. The investigations of Hooft et al (1962) demonstrate that it may be an insufficiency of the pyridine nucleotide coenzymes following a primary disturbance in the metabolism of tryptophane.

4. In a case of pigmentary retinopathy, it is now indispensable to do a systematic blood examination both on the morphological and on the biochemical and metabolic point of view.

A study was made on the frequency of some dermatoglyphic formulae in a sample of individuals of the population of Montevideo.

The theoretically expected frequency of the ten most common formulae was also calculated on the basis of the incidence of each pattern per finger in the same population.

The comparisons made between observed frequencies and calculated ones show such large differences that they cannot be attributed to chance.

Consequently we conclude that the genetical studies of dermatoglyphic patterns should be made for associations of patterns in two or more fingers or complete formulae rather than for individual fingers.

A relatively rare malformation (double fistula of the lower lip, associated in most cases with cleft lip and palate) has been found to be exceptionally present in eight members (mother and seven children) of the same family.

A survey has been made of present knowledge on the genesis of this malformation, and a genetical interpretation of the observation has been tentatively suggested.

Different data collected on the problem point, in the author's opinion, to an hypothesis which should admit the occurrence of a chromosomal mutation, associated with fusion of the couple of maternal chromosomes, as the most acceptable one.

Exogenous factors, such as, in particular, deficiency factors, could have played a predisposing or facilitating role.

After a careful study and analysis of the various patterns observed on the middle and proximal phalanges on 600 fingers the Author comes to the following tentative conclusions.

1. As it is evident from table I, fingers II, III, IV show a great variability of patterns and among them III and IV have as many patterns as 20 each, while the least degree of variability is observed on thumb, the first finger, which shows only 5 types of patterns. The fifth finger shows 10 different types of patterns. The above number is obtained while counting the pattern present on right and left hands.

2. Among the main types, the pattern Hook predominate exhibiting the percentile frequency of 37.128. Patterns Straight are second in order of preponderance showing the percentile frequency of 24.999. Arches are definitely higher (12.777%) as compared to Enclosures which are 10.554%.

3. The patterns Hook and Straights are more common on fingers I and V, while Arches, Arch Angle and Enclosures are monopoly of digits, II, III and IV.

4. In general it is observed that digits I, II, III bear the patterns which open more frequently on the radial side whereas digits IV and V show the patterns opening on the ulnar side — a natural mechanism which helps a lot in grasping.

5. Comparing the different right-left symmetrical combinations on the finger phalanges of homologous right-left fingers it is observed that digits II, III, and V exhibit a lower number of symmetrical combinations as compared to digit IV, indicating thereby more symmetry in digits I, II, V as compared to digit IV.

6. Comparing the percentile frequencies of various main patterns it can be surmised with certainty that in most of the pattern frequencies Brahmins resemble more to Chinese than to Germans. However, further investigations on these research lines and on many other groups, will not only add to our knowledge but will also help in the race stratification.

27 cases of articular chondrocalcinosis have been examined, 6 of which individual ones, and 21 derived from 5 pedigrees.

The four main pedigrees belong to families living all in the same village in south-western Slovakia, in a highly inbred region.

The disease is not supposed to manifest itself before the age of 20 to 30 years; before, no symptom can be detected, indicating a morbid condition. The inheritance could be sex-linked, which would explain the higher frequency in females (13 cases) than in males (8 cases).