Flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy was performed without fluoroscopic guidance in 70 patients with endoscopically nonvisible lung tumours. A diagnosis was established by transbronchial biopsy in 24 (34.28%) cases, by bronchial aspirate in five (7.14%) and by postbronchoscopic sputum in three (4.28%). The overall positive yield when all three specimens combined was 26/70 (37.14%). An important characteristic associated with a positive cytological or histopathological diagnosis was the size of lesion: a diagnosis was possible in 24/26(52.17%) cases when the diameter was more than 2.0 cm as compared to 2/24 (8.03%) in lesions less than 2 cm in diameter. The diagnosis was maximum in 16/22 (61.53%) cases if the lesions were situated between 2.5 to 5.0 cm from the hilum. According to the final diagnosis, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were the common peripheral tumours. We conclude that flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy without fluoroscopic guidance is useful technique for diagnosis of endoscopically nonvisible lung tumours.

Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) and Peak Expiratory Flow Rates (PEF) were measured in 16 men and 19 women before and after exposure to Pulsed Magnetic Field (PMF) for 30 to 45 days for the treatments of chronic arthritis and spondylosis. Pulsed Magnetic Field are oscillating magnetic fields which are generated by circulating controlled time-varying electric current through coils. The percentage difference between the pre and post therapy vaules were in excess of 10% in seven men and seven women for FVC and FEV1 and in 12 men and 12 women for PEF. The mean FVC (2.40 ± 0.14 i vs 2.62 ± 0.14 i, P<.01), FEV1 (2.0 ± 0.18 i vs 2.19 ± 0.17 i P<0.01) and PEF (353.0 ± 33.0 ¶ min vs 429.0 ± 31.3 i /min, P<0.001) in men: and the mean FVC (2.05 ± 0.13 i vs 2.19 ± 0.13 i, P<0.001), FEV1 (1.7 ± 0.1 i vs 1.81 ± 0.1 i P<0.01) and PEF (241.0 ± 19.3 ¶ min vs 274.0 ± 21.6 ¶ min, P<0.001) in women increased significantly after exposure to PMF. This preliminary study may suggest that PMF has a beneficial effect in a substantial number of subjects, probably due to increase in respiratory muscle strength.

A young female patient presented with extensive bilateral patchy pneumonitis, multiple bony involvement and subcutaneous abscesses with discharging sinuses. Diagnosis of disseminated actinomycosis was made by identification of Actinomyces israelii in the pus aspirated from the subcutaneous abscesses. No predisposing factors could be demonstrated. The patient responded well to prolonged therapy with penicillin.

Isoniazid, one of the most potent antitubercular drugs, is one of the agents which, though rare, may cause systemic lupus erythematosus like syndrome for which it may have to be eliminated from therapeutic regimen. One such case is being reported here.