Rhinologyv and Otology. o i l when, in fact, the main symptom might be merely a continuous and profuse discharge unaccompanied by any of the more obvious indications of mastoid disease. About 20 per cent, of the patients admitted to the Monsall Fever Hospital, Manchester suffering from scarlet fever had one or both ears affected by suppurative inflammation. From a careful observation of these cases and from the results of operative experience Mr. Gordon found himself dissatisfied with the

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... tomy which he had previously performed and as a consequence advocated the performance of a radical mastoid operation in these acute cases. Of 18 cases operated upon in this way 16 were completely cured, in one the operation was a failure, and in one the operation was followed by a fatal result. Any dogmatic inference from so few cases treated in this way is, as Mr. Gordon pointed out, of course impossible; but the various discussions appear to indicate that there is an increasing leaning on the part of aural surgeons to earlier surgical interference than has hitherto been customary, on the grounds that by so acting chronicity is avoided, the risks of complications due to septic involvement of the temporal bone are minimised, whilst the chances of preserving the integrity of the ear as an organ of special sense are greatly increased. -li 'V.f