These cases are reported partly because of the rarity of the condition and partly because the symptoms, although very characteristic, are usually misinterpreted and attributed to some other disease.
REPORT OF CASES
Case 1 (No. 19217).—A boy was admitted to the Children's Hospital when 6 years old. His parents and seven other children were well. One child had died in the Children's Hospital some years before after an operation for esophageal stricture. Further details regarding this case will be given later. The mother had had two miscarriages.The patient was born at full term after a normal labor and was thought to have been normal at birth. He was breast fed and seemed well in every way until the attempt was made to feed him when he was 1 year old. It was then found that while he was able to take liquids he could not take solid food without