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COMMUNICATIONS between the three major coronary arteries can be produced by surgical methods. It was shown experimentally by Stanton, Schildt and Beck' that trauma applied to the surface of the heart brought about the development of communications between one coronary artery and another. The type of trauma that was used in this demonstration was produced by abrasion of the surface of the heart. The epicardium was roughened and torn by means of special burs made for this purpose. We are now reporting upon the effect of various inflammatory agents applied to the surface of the heart. We are attempting to find a substance which, when applied to the heart, opens up or develops vascular channels between one coronary artery and another and at the same time does not produce harmful side-effects. A number of inflammatory agents have been used on the heart. Powdered beef bone was used by Beck;2 aleuronat was used by O'Shaughnessy ;3 talc was used by Thompson ;4 and a mixture of aleuronat, starch, glycerin, commercial gelatin, water and lionite was used by Heinbecker and Barton.5 A study of this subject is obviously important. Our experiments may be regarded as an introductory study of this subject.METHOD.-Dogs were used. The material for study was introduced into the pericardial cavity either by making a small opening in the parietal pericardium or by an aspirating needle. The opening in the parietal pericardium was closed tightly by sutures. Three or more experiments were carried out with each substance that was selected for study. The pericardium was opened at the end of one, two and three weeks, under surgical conditions, and the reaction observed. Additional experiments were carried out with those substances that produced a favorable reaction.Intercoronary communications were determined by a method worked out in our laboratory. We used a mixture consisting of barium sulfate 500 Gm., powdered gelatin i5-o Gm. and distilled water 850 cc.6 This mixture was filtered while hot and was injected at a temperature of 450 C. into the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery and into the right coronary artery.The heart was immersed in water at a temperature of 45' C. during the injection. Injection of the arteries was done at a pressure of 200 mm. mercury for three to five minutes. The specimen was chilled to solidify

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