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Pseudomembranous colitis and toxic megacolon are rare complications of antineoplastic chemotherapy. Twelve cases of pseudomembranous colitis and four cases of toxic megacolon, both occurring as complications of chemotherapy, have been reported in the medical literature. These diseases occurred as separate and distinct entities. Fulminating pseudomembranous colitis leading to toxic megacolon in the setting of chemotherapy has not been previously reported. We report such a case, emphasizing its atypical presentation and rapid, fulminant course.

The case of a 57‐year‐old man with chondrosarcoma of the laryngeal cartilage is presented, occurring 16 years after radiation treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the right true vocal cord. Chondrosarcoma of the larynx is an uncommon tumor. The location, grade, and time elapsed from initial treatment make it probable that this patient's chondrosarcoma is associated with his prior radiation treatment. However, it is a rare occurrence, this being the second case reported in the literature.

The polarized transmission infrared spectra between 400 and 4000 cm-I and the He-Ne laser excited Raman spectra between 30 and 1500 cm-1 of an oriented single crystal of a-lead azide (PbN 6 ), have been measured and the long-wavelength vibrational modes have been assigned by factor-group analysis. The observed splittings are in essential agreement with the reported space group D2h lL Pnma. The Ramanactive lattice modes are observed in the frequency range 30-210 cm-I' The appearance of peaks in the 1330-1360-cm-1 region due to the symmetric stretching vibration of the azide ion, in both the infrared and Raman spectra, confirms the presence of fairly asymmetric azide ions in the lattice. A probable relationship between a component of the bending mode frequency of the azide ion and the thermal instability of a-lead azide and related metal azides is pointed out.