2030 Papanicolaou-stained cervical smears were submitted for rapid screening prior to routine screening; 30 seconds were allowed for each slide, and those thought to be abnormal were identified. The results were compared with those of conventional screening. All severe and moderately dyskaryotic cases were detected by the rapid technique, as were the majority of mild dyskaryosis and borderline cases. When a laboratory has a backlog it may be worth rapid-screening all slides in addition to routine screening, so that patients most at risk can receive prompt treatment.

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The Emperor Hadrian probably died of cardiovascular disease. Several busts, now in European museums, show quite distinct diagonal creases on both of his earlobes.' Diagonal earlobe creases run from the lower pole of the external meatus, diagonally backwards to the edge of the lobe at approximately 45°(figure), and have been associated with cardiovascular disease in several clinical studies."'We studied a series of coroner's necropsy cases to see whether diagonal earlobe creases are associated with fatal cardiovascular disease. Patients and methodsData were collected from unselected consecutive necropsies conducted on behalf of HM Coroner on adults at the Brighton Borough Mortuary by three consultant pathologists. These people had died within the Brighton Health District in circumstances in which it was not possible to issue a death certificate. Before the pathologist arrived in the mortuary to perform the necropsy, at least two of the Requests for reprints to Dr N Kirkham,