Ninety-seven patients with atrophic rhinitis were treated by partial or total closure of the nostrils. In 50, histopathological, bacteriological, and cytological studies were done before the operation, and, in 11 patients whose nostrils have been reopened, after the operation, to study the changes in the bacterial flora and in the tissues. In the reopened cases, quantitative and qualitative changes in the bacterial flora were noticeable. The bacterial flora were reduced in number and consisted of normally encountered flora, as in a healthy nose. The histopathological changes showed an indication of regeneration of the ciliated respiratory epithelium as well as the mucous glands. clinically, good results were noted in ten of 11 reopened cases, four of which were total closures and seven were partial closures.