The total capillary bed in skeletal muscle of guinea pigs has been determined by perfusion with India ink and counting capillaries in cross sections of gelatin embedded muscle. Comparative studies have indicated the importance of age, the muscle studied and the site where counts were performed. Capillaries were more evently distributed in the red than the white areas of the muscle. Free exercise or restriction in cages during the life span did not materially effect the results, although in cross sections some gross enlargement of the red areas was observed in the free exercise group. A significantly greater number of capillaries per square millimeter of muscle tissue were observed in the red area of muscles from animals native to the Peruvian mountains. The red area of these muscles was also more extensive than in the sea level born controls. The possible adaptive significance of these characteristics has been indicated.

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Thirty human lung biopsy specimens have been diagnoses as desquamative interstitial pneumonitis. Six cases had intraalveolar lesions, believed to be early, while 20 had advanced disease characterised by intraalveolar cellular clumps, alveolar wall fibrosis, distortion, and loss of pulmonary parenchyma. Electron microscopy, high resolution light microscopy, and cytological examination have shown that the characteristic clumps in the alveolar air spaces are formed predominantly by enlarged and aggregated macrophages. Lymphocytes and eosinophils are also present in the intraalveolar clumps and in alveolar walls. Inflammation and immunological mechanisms are suggested as causes of the cellular clumping. Interstitial pneumonitis, alveolar wall fibrosis, changes in the alveolar epithelium, and loss of lung parenchyma are believed to be secondary events.

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