A case of pneumopericardium in a child following blunt injury to his trachea is described. Such a case has not been previously described in the literature. A probable anatomical explanation for this rare event is offered.

Kimura's disease (KD) is an uncommon condition once thought to affect only Orientals. The patients present with swelling of the major salivary glands associated with cervical lymphadenopathy. The clinical, histopathological and radiological findings of a young Caucasian female with KD will be presented and discussed.

Effusion material was aspirated from 51 consecutive peritonsillar abscesses (34 male, 17 female; age range eight to 46 years) and subjected to direct microscopy after staining with acridine orange. Bacteria were counted per ml effusion material and their morphology was analyzed. In addition, aerobic and anaerobic bacterial culturing was performed. Effusions containing β-haemolytic streptococci Group A, which appeared as a single species, contained fewer bacteria (8 × 106 per ml, median value) than effusions harbouring a mixed flora (7 × 108 bacteria per ml, median value). Direct microscopy of effusions obtained from peritonsillar abscesses makes possible rapid identification of a single or mixed flora, which is of importance for the antibiotic treatment of the disease.