TUBERCULOSIS OF THE UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE OF THE PAST TWO YEARS

Probably the most interesting articles on laryngeal tuberculosis that have been published during the last two years are reports of studies on the manner of invasion of the larynx and of detailed investigations of tuberculous pathologic changes that are peculiar to the larynx. Concerning the first of these subjects, there is general agreement that hematogenous infection of the larynx is possible, but its relative frequency is still a matter of dispute. In miliary tuberculosis the larynx may be involved as well as other organs, but the rarity of primary involvement of the larynx argues against the common occurrence of an infection of hematogenous origin. Some authors, however, find it hard to explain laryngeal involvement in patients whose sputum is free from tubercle bacilli, and some state further that when the larynx of a patient with a generalized pulmonary lesion shows diffuse involvement of the arytenoids, epiglottis and other areas near