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Colonic diverticula consist of herniations of the mucous membrane of the colon through the muscle coat that normally contains it. As herniation implies the existence of a propelling or pulsion force, with or without an initial defect in the integument, it has been suggested that colonic diverticula are caused by abnormal pressures in the lumen of the colon. However, at the time the present study began no systematic observations had been made to test this hypothesis and the pressures in the colon in diverticulosis were unknown (Thompson, 1959).The main object of this study was to measure the pressure waves produced in the lumen of the human sigmoid colon in diverticulosis under basal conditions, and to compare the results with those obtained from control subjects studied under identical conditions. METHOD OF STUDYThe intracolonic pressures were measured and recorded by the method of Chaudhary and Truelove (1961). Three water-filled open-ended polythene tubes were inserted into the sigmoid colon through a sigmoidoscope, which was then withdrawn, leaving the tubes in situ. The tubes were bound together so that their tips were 7 5 cm. apart. Each tip was enclosed in a metal cuff to permit radio-