The coexistence of subacute pericardial effusion and epicardial constriction produces a cl'nical state, subacute effusive constrictive epicarditis, which resembles pericardial effusion with tamponade. However, pericardiocentesis results in only partial and temporary relief, a feature which is of importance in diagnosis. This syndrome was seen in five patients all of whom benefited from early pericardiectomy.

A 24-year-old female with haemoglobin E-thalassaemia who presented with paraparesis of 18 months' duration was found to have spinal extradural extramedullary haemopoietic tissue extending from T4 to T9. Complete neurological recovery followed laminectomy. The importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment, of this unusual complication of extramedullary haemopoiesis, before the spinal cord is irreversibly damaged is stressed.

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bacterial overgrowth in the intestinal lumen. After relief of the smallbowel obstruction by removal of his tumour, one would assume that bacterial overgrowth would not be a feature, and certainly three months after his operation there were no clinical or biochemical features of malabsorption. This may be relevant to the disappearance of our patient's clubbing.