Senile Arterial Changes in a Child Aged Seven Weeks *From the University Centre of Cardiac Research, General Hospital, Bristol.

History.?The child, a girl aged seven weeks, was left for a few minutes in her perambulator in the care of her brother, while the mother prepared her feed for her. The brother called out that baby was " making a funny noise," and when the mother reached her she found her blue and obviously distressed. She picked her up and, thinking she " had the wind," turned her on to her face ; the child, however, died almost immediately. Post-mortem Examination.?A post-mortem examination was made by one of us (F. W. T. H.) at the coroner's request on the following day. The body was slightly cyanosed, but otherwise there was nothing abnormal externally. The only organ which presented an abnormal appearance was the heart. This, together with the thymus and lungs, was preserved for further examination. The heart was normal in size, but attracted attention by the marked thickening and tortuosity of the coronary arteries, which stood out from the rest of the heart like cords. On opening the heart the only abnormality to be found was a valvular patency of the foramen ovale. All four valves were normal in appearance, as also were the aorta and pulmonary artery. On microscopical examination the coronary arteries (see Figs. 2, 3) present an extraordinary picture. In all the main * From the University Centre of Cardiac Research, General Hospital, Bristol. t Working under a Colston Research Scholarship.