The concepts and problems of Medical Genetics are considered in the light of modern advances in Biochemistry, the classic aspects of the gene, cistron, muton and recon, having been completed by the concepts of Operon and chronon, with respect to the traffic of structural genes and to the temporal dimension of the hereditary unit, respectively.

The impact of these various aspects of the gene is considered with respect to ontogenetic processes, heredity of diseases and heredity of disposition to-diseases. Ageing is also considered as a disease, due to the extinction of the genes, and therefore apt to be treated with a substitutive therapy.

Chromosomal evaluation was done in 62 patients affected with otosclerosis, clinically and surgically proven. Numerical and structural karyotype analysis of leucocyte and fibroblast cultures, showed normal results.

Cytogenetic findings published earlier by other authors in a small series of otosclerosis patients and where mosaicism in the D-group was detected, are contradicted.

The importance of the critical evaluation of the cytogenetic method used and of the necessity to investigate cytogenetically a large enough number of patients, before linking a clinical and phenotypical condition to cytogenetic finding, is stressed.

A family is reported in which 5 individuals out of 2 generations were found to suffer from dysostosis cleidocranialis. In that kindred twins occurred twice, one twin pair being DZ and suffering from the disease, the other pair MZ and healthy. The number of affected family members is in agreement with the autosomal dominance of the trait as indicated by numerous earlier observations. The characteristics found were: reduced growth, macrocephalus with late fontanel occlusion, protrusive frontal bone, hypertelorism, dysplasia of the clavicles and the pelvis, retarded development of hand skeleton. There was a certain variability in the expression of the traits in both DZ twin sisters, particularly concerning the malformation of clavicles and pelvis. Their children showed rather uniform alterations concerning head and hand skeleton, clavicles and pelvis.

Blood group tests performed did not reveal linked inheritance of the pathological trait and any of the used serological markers.

The Author reports the case of two MZ twins concordantly affected by a neoplasm of the testicle. The various etiopathogenetic theories of this form, the data reported in the literature and the genetic interpretation are discussed.

The present author found significant differences in physical characters among some populations, namely the Garo, the Kachari, the Rabha and the Rajbansi of South Goalpara, Assam. They were accompanied by an increase and decrease of the various characters. Shapiro in his study of Japanese immigrants into Hawaii also found similar phenomenon of increase and decrease in respect of anthropometric characters. In this study the data of the present author have been compared with those of Shapiro.

It is seen that the results obtained by the present author agree with those of Shapiro in respect of some characters, while in respect of some they vary. But it appears that the changes in physical characters due to migration into two widely different geographical regions — from a temperate country like Japan to a tropical country like Hawaii — are nearly of similar nature in a small area like South Goalpara.

In order to contribute to the studies on the group substance properties of the Gm system, the Authors have carried out a research on 180 subjects living in Latium. The results [Gm(a) 48.8%; Gm(b) 95%; Gm(x) 9.4%], are very similar to those obtained for white subjects in other countries of Europe and North America.

The Authors underline the importance of this new system in the investigations for ascertaining the parental relationship.

Data on the middle-phalangeal hair among the different groups of Newars of Nepal Valley are presented.

Sexual differences for this trait are non-significant in Groups 1, 2 and 4.

The inter-group differences of Groups 1, 2 and 4 give non-significant results, suggesting a similarity for this trait among these groups in Newars.

The variability ranges between 22.1 to 100% in males, and 26.4 to 100% in females, in the frequencies of mid-phalangeal hair absence, among various populations.

The Mongoloid population is found to be in the range of 44.9 to 98.10%, with regard to the absence of this trait.

The Newars, as a total group, show frequencies of 75.43% in males, 76.63% in females and 76.04% in both sexes, combined, with respect to the absence of this trait.

The Newars fall nearer to the tribal groups of Assam (Khasi, Lushai and Mikir) and Japanese as far as this character is concerned.