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If through the decomposition Of ATP by its 'enzyme ATPase, (tonus and constrictison of the artery are maintained, it is possible that a drug which acutely relaxes the artery may do SO by interfering with the ATPase activity of the tissue. Studies aimed at clarifying this postulate are in progress. v102, 16.John C., Jr., Anal. Chem., in press.

This report represents a further study of the problems proposed in a previous communication, by Kanar et al. (1), who compared five fresh autogenous vein grafts implanted into the thoracic aortas of growing pigs with five similar grafts surrounded by crystalline dicetyl phosphate. Their conclusions were that: 1. Venous autografts implanted in the thoracic aorta of weanling pigs dilate and may rupture, 2. Dicetyl phosphate applied about such a graft may restrict subsequent enlargement or dilatation as well as linear growth both of the graft and adjacent aorta, and possibly result in decreased growth of the entire animal. Questions to be answered were: 1. Would the use of dicetyl phosphate result in a greater incidence of late graft complications such as stenosis and calcification? and 2. Would use of such a fibroblastic substance effectively prevent dilatation of fresh venous autografts?Historically, Poppe and De Oliviera (2) in 1946 treated aneurysms of major vessels by wrapping them with active cellophane. Two years later Yeager and Cowley (3) identified the active ingredient as dicetyl phosphate. The literature contains reports of aneurysms successfully treated (4, 5) by dicetyl phosphate applications. It is essential that this substance be further evaluated because it may prove a valuable and less dangerous treatment for aneurysms associated with severe vascular disease.

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