The treatment of haematemesis and melaena in peptic ulcer.

Haematemesis and melaena are amongst the more acute and serious complications of peptic ulcer and their medical management has altered appreciably in the last decade. The re-introduction of liberal feeding by Meulengracht (I953), the use of adequate blood transfusions (Marriot and Kekwick, 1935) and the increasing role of surgery in selected cases may be cited. The effects of recent therapeutic advances on the mortality of the bleeding ulcer have been favourably reviewed from the physician's angle by Avery Jones (x947, I950) and from that of the surgeon by Tanner (x950o). Both complications still have a high mortality, particularly in the older age groups, and there is certainly no room for complacency about the results already achieved.