The frequencies of 30 HL-A antigens were studied in an Indonesian population of 95 individuals from the city of Jakarta. The antigens HL-AS, or more precisely W24, and HL-A1 1 (first series) and W15 (second series) occurred with high frequencies, whereas HL-A8, W14 and W22 were completely absent. These results are consistent with previous reports of HL-A typing in South East Asian populations.

Within 10 years (1964 -1974) •two hundred and twenty one ' Beside the medical points of view thalassemia has also many social aspects to be considered, those of the cM1d itself, the parents and the society or community.

The survival period of children suffering from leukemia could be prolonged by using the new antileukemic agents. On the other hand, the frequency of central nervous system involvement as a complication of this disease was very high, i.e. 10 of 19 cases. Six showed signs of meningeal leukemia while they were in hematologic remission and the other 4 were within acute stage. Nine children were given methotrexate intrathecally as a prophylactic measure at the time when diagnosis of leukemia was confirmed, and did not suffer from this complication during follow-up to 6–13 months. From these data we conclude that the regular administration of methotrexate intrathecally to leukemic patients as a prophylactic measure, with routine spinal fluid examinations, is very useful in preventing or in reducing the central nervous system involvement.

The present report describes leu-kemic infiltration of the testes in a6 1/2-year-old boy suffering from acu-te lymphoblastic leukemia duringbone marrow and hematologic remis-Sion.

A comparison was made between the results of splenectomy performed on 19 children with thalassemia major, who were operated on after the signs of hypersplenism and hemosiderosis appeared, and on 25 children (11 with thalassemia Hb E disease and 14 with thalassemia major), who splenectomized indication of increased blood requirement only, before signs of hypersplenism or hemosiderosis appeared.From the results, it can be concluded that splenectomy should be performed as soon as increased transfusion requirement appears, before hypersplenism Or hemosiderosis becomes apparent. Due to high frequency of postsplenectomy infections, it is still preferable to operate the child after 2 years of age.