A review of the literature of the past few years dealing with this subject is disappointing: first, because of the small number of articles written; second, because of the few cases reported in most of the articles, and third, because none has covered all the surgical problems encountered when handling a large number of cases of diphtheria. Of my series of patients, 5,993 were under my observation and care at the Philadelphia Hospital for Contagious Diseases, at which I was chief resident physician and also resident otolaryngologist. The remainder of the series were admitted to my service more recently at the Park View Hospital, Rocky Mount, N. C. Complete statistical data for the earlier group have not been compiled; however, partial statistics have been obtained. In all the latter group of patients and approximately one fifth of the former the diphtheritic involvement was of the lower respiratory tract, and therefore