Under normal conditions the number of white cells in the blood is increased during the period of gastric digestion, and a similar phenomenon is observed in chronic ulcer and in most of the functional disorders of the stomach. In malignant disease, however, Muller states that this temporary leucocytosis usually fails, and his observations have been confirmed by Rieder, Schneyer, and Hartung. The last-named has also observed a similar absence in cases of atrophy of the stomach secondary to carcinoma of the breast. On the other hand, Osier and McCrae observed digestion leucocytosis in nearly one half of the cases they examined, a result which tallies closely with our own experience. It must therefore be admitted that while the absence of digestion leucocytosis may help to confirm a diagnosis of carcinoma, its presence in no way negatives a suspicion of malignant disease.