Summary. The absorption of iron administered as ferrosulphate was studied in normal subjects, in patients with iron deficiency and in patients with idiopathic and secondary haemosiderosis. By using a test dose combining radioactive iron (59Fe) with radioactive barium sulphate (131Ba) as inert indicator, it was possible to determine how much iron was initially absorbed and whether a proportion of this was later excreted in the faeces. The (initial) iron absorption, the iron loss as a percentage of the iron absorbed, and the (ultimate) iron retention 2 weeks after administration of the test dose were calculated. In normal subjects and patients with secondary haemosiderosis, a large proportion of the initially absorbed iron later returned to the intestinal lumen. In patients with iron deficiency and those with idiopathic haemosiderosis, however, nearly all the initially absorbed iron was retained in the organism. In differential diagnosis between idiopathic and secondary haemosiderosis, therefore, determination of the iron absorption and iron retention percentages from a test dose may be important. In patients with secondary haemosiderosis there seemed to be a negative correlation between the degree of haemosiderosis and the amount of iron from the test dose ultimately retained in the organism.

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Pseudolymphoma is a condition that closely resembles malignant lymphoma, both clinically and on histopathological examination. Immunological cell typing is necessary for correct diagnosis. We present here the case of a patient with carbamazepine-induced generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, anaemia, abnormal differential leucocyte count, and hypergammaglobulinaemia. There was evidence of severe immune dysregulation. All abnormalities subsided spontaneously after withdrawal of carbamazepine and the patient remained in good health afterwards.

A case of a 69-year-old man with an extra-adrenal malignant phaeochromocytoma is described. Sputum cytology revealed metastatic cells, which have not been reported previously in malignant phaeochromocytoma. This case is also remarkable for the short duration of disease, rapid progression and extensive spread of metastases, the radiological aspect of metastatic lesions shown by chest X-ray, hypercalcaemia and extremely high levels of circulating catecholamines and urinary metabolites.