The palmar flexion creases of fully diagnosed patients of throat cancer (n = 120) and tuberculosis (n = 80) have been compared with a control group (n = 150) of the same stock. The palmar flexion creases of cancer and tuberculosis patients ate significantly different from those of the control population.

Urinary mucopolysaccharides from three patients with acheiropodia were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed by agar gel electrophoresis coupled with enzymatic degradation. Although no abnormal pattern was characterized, eventual metabolic dysfunction detected only in bone/cartilage tissues could not be ruled out.

Serum haptoglobin phenotypes were studied in 100 Greek patients suffering from duodenal ulcer by vertical starch gel electrophoresis. A sample of 2026 healthy subjects served as control. No statistically significant differences were found in Hp phenotypes and gene frequencies between patients and healthy controls.

ABO blood groups have been examined in a sample of 400 chicken-pox patients and their 383 unaffected siblings from Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh, India. Subjects of blood group A (and possibly AB) would appear to have a somewhat higher risk than persons with group B and O to develop chicken pox.

α 1-at phenotypes and serum levels were studied in 100 Greek patients of pulmonary TBC by starch-gel electrophoresis and radial immunodiffusion. The mean value of α 1-at (315 ± 77) was significantly lower (p < 0.005) than in the control group. An attempt is made to explain this finding based on the α 1-at phenotypes distribution in the TBC patients.

The distribution of ABO, MN and Rh-Hr phenotypes has been examined in a sample of 688 twin pairs, with particular emphasis on the ABO distribution. It appears that MZ and DZ pairs exhibit opposing deviations from the expected distribution; such deviations tend to cancel out each other in the total sample, thus masking the phenomenon.

The results are briefly discussed, calling for an extension of the study to the twins' families, while forthcoming papers will present further analyses.

Haptoglobin polymorphism has been studied in 148 Ladakhis — a Mongoloid population inhabiting the northernmost region of India. With a frequency of 0.270 for the allele Hp1 the Ladakhis compare favourably with other Mongoloid populations.