Two hundred and thirty two consecutive patients with bronchogenic carninoma detected in a period of two years in a major teaching hospital were analysed. Histo/cytopathological pattern was : squamous cell carcinorna 72%, large cell carcinorna 15. 1%, small cell carcinorna 4.3% and adenocarcinoma 3.9%. The male to female ratio was 7.9:1. The peak age group of primary lung cancer was 41-60 years. The smoker : non-smoker ratio was 2.7:1. One hundred and thirty four (78.8%) of 170 smokers were found to have squamous cell carcinorna. Seven (77.8%) of nine patents with adenocarcinoma were found to be non-smoking females.

In this study, an attempt has been made to unearth various factors associated with and responsible for smoking habit in women, like age, domestic conditions, occupation, socio-economic status, level of education, age of starting smoking, amount and type of smoking, awareness about tobacco related health hazards and common respiratory illnesses due to smoking in these persons. PEFR was found to be significantly lowered in active as well as passive women smokers and the reduction was in proportion to the amount of smoking.

Transbronchoscope fine needle aspiration cytology gave a 65% positivity in diagnosing centrally located bronchial neoplasm. Combination with brushing and punch ralsed the yield to 76.6%. The complications were very mild.

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a well known but rare complication of primary bronchogenic carcinoma. Four cases of lung cancer who developed lpsilateral spontaneous pneumothorax are reported.

Prevalence of drug resistance was evaluated among the pulmonary tuberculosis patients, who attending three District Tuberculosis Centres (Tuticorin, Trichy and Kancheepuram) in Tamilnadu for the first time. Total prevalence of drug resistance, to one or more antituberculous drugs, was 54.5%. Resistance to Thiacetazone was 40.5%, Isonlazld 28.5%, Streptomycin 18%, Ethambutol 5% and to Rifnmpicin 2.3%. These findings point out alarming situation in which the National Tuberculosis Control Programme in India is placed.

Conventional 12 or 18-month anti-tuberculous drug regimens (SH-B/W, STH + TH) continue to be primary treatment schedules in majority of the patients in the District Tuberculosis Programme in India. Pulmonary tuberculosis patients falled to one of these regimens were retreated with two drug formulations, i.e., 1ERZ + 11E2 R2 and 2ERZ + 10 E2 R2. Sputum conversion rates at the end of two months treatment were 91% and 92% respectively. The relapse rates had been 5.2% and 4.8% respectively at the end of one year follow-up. Thus, Pyrazinmide administration (during initial intensive phase) beyond one month did not offer any additional benefit.

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis is a rare diseases with world-wide distribution, “Sand-storm� appearance on a chest radiograph is quite characteristic and further confirmation is not required but the calcific nature of pulmonary opactities may be confirmed by scanning with bone-imaging agents such as 99m Technetium diphosphate. Calcific material may be obtained by broncho-alverolar lavage. No therapy has proved to be effective.

Ketotifen, an orally active prophylactic agent was given to 30 asthmatic patients of mild to moderate severity. After eight weeks of therapy, 66.3% of patients showed an overall improvement in their respiratory symptoms and ventilatoty functions. Extrinsic asthma had better response (77.7%) as compared to intrinsic group (41.7%). Day time sedation was observed as the most common adverse effect of this drug.

Of the three patients positive by Casoni’s intradermal test, two were diagnosed to have hydatid cysts whereas the other patient was found to have anaplastic carcinoma. All three patients was found to have a very high total lgE level above 5000 IU/ml. The findings show that Casoni’s intradermal test is not always specific for the diagnosis of hydatid disease. Positive reaction may be observed in some of the patients with malignancy and this may be associated with extreme elevation total serum lgE.