A series of 144 patients with acute cholecystitis included 32 who were jaundiced. Seventy‐three per cent of the jaundiced group had stones in the common bile‐duct, compared with only 6.5 per cent of nonjaundiced patients. Jaundice in acute cholecystitis is, therefore, a strong indication for exploration of the common bile‐duct. This applies not only to elective but also to emergency or early operation.