Breast Abscess as a Threat to Surgical Units in a General Hospital

urine, observed by Cohen et al. (1957).But the simple mechanical effect of tubular blockage is obviously not ruled out, and the solution of the problem must await further observation on similar cases, if possible with renal biopsy at the height of the hypercalcaemia.The reason for the mental confusion and the E.E.G. changes is not clear.Mental changes, in the shape of confusion and hallucinations, have been occasionally described in hypercalcaemic states, but they are decidedly uncommon.Fitz and Hallman (1952) have given a particularly clear description of two cases of hyperparathyroidism in which mental abnormalities were present.Mental changes are common, however, in the combination of alkalosis and hypercalcaemia which may complicate the medical treatment of peptic ulcer (Wenger, Kirsner, and Palmer, 1957).Alkalosis alone causes no mental change (van Goidsenhoven, Gray, Price, and Sanderson, 1954).The present patient, besides hypercalcaemia, had a mild alkalosis, and it is possible that it is the combination of these two factors which is capable of causing mental abnormalities.Summary A case of carcinoma of the breast with secondary deposits in bone, in which the condition was made worse by testosterone therapy, is described.Hypercalcaemia, mental confusion, and uraemia developed; the abnor- malities of renal function were studied in some detail. I am grateful to Sir Arthur Porritt