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Eighty-eight cases of thymoma are discussed with the object of trying to co-ordinate the histological and clinical features. The pathological specimens were in all cases obtained at operation. The pathology classification introduced by Thomson

The evaluation of thoracoplasty in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis depends on so many factors that accurate assessment is difficult. The present survey is submitted with this in mind. It provides, however, some general figures about the fate of the patients and the effects of the operation on their disease.The subject matter of this analysis consists of a follow-up of all cases of thoracoplasty for pulmonary tuberculosis, not complicated by empyema, performed by the writer between 1935 and the middle of 1946. The patients were traced by reference to the local authorities, chest clinics, hospitals, and private doctors; a report was then obtained from the medical man most recently in charge of the individual patient. It was inevitable that no information could be obtained about some patients, for owing to the partial destruction of the records in two hospitals in air raids and the unusual movement of population during war vears the difficulties ordinarily encountered were increased. Actually the number of cases "lost sight of" was relatively small (7.1 per cent) and could not be regarded as influencing the final results too seriously.In view of the different sources from which information was derived a very detailed analysis could not be undertaken, and attention was confined to three main points: (1) the patient's capacity for work, with a statement of the present general condition; (2) the presence of tubercle bacilli in the sputum; (3) the presence of cavities in the lung. It can be assumed that the operation was undertaken for disease with cavitation in the lung and with tubercle bacilli in the sputum. Cases of tuberculous empyema were excluded from the survey.Before analysis of the material some important points affecting the end-results of the operation must be mentioned. Firstly, thoracoplasty is only a local measure aiming at selective collapse used in the course of a general disease; it is not in itself a cure. Secondly, the criteria on which cases are selected for operation are most variable. Sometimes operation is reserved for those patients who have minimal disease of a healing character, in other words " good risk cases"; while at the other extreme the indications may be extended to cover patients for whom nothing else can be done and in whom operation is almost a measure of despair. Other factors which have to be taken into account include the general change in outlook towards thoracoplasty during the years under *Based on a paper read at the joint meeting of the Tuberculosis Association and the Scottish Tuberculosis Society

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