[Pleural fibrosis from asbestos].

A case of pleural plaques due to asbestos exposure in a 55-year-old man after 30 years of "sporadic" activity in a chemical plant brings out the following: 1. the need for careful investigation of the patient's occupational history, both past and present; 2. the latency of the disease and the long-term action of micropollution; 3.

[Results of needle-biopsy of the pleura (author's transl)].

The technique of needle-biopsy of the pleura started with the Vim-Silvermann needle (often inadequate) and has now spread generally with the greater use of the Harefield-Abrams needle. The overall percentagetrue positive results (tuberculosis, cancer) has, over time, slowly fallen, because of the fall in the number of tuberculous cases and an increase in biopsies with insufficient material (T 1 1964 : 45%, T 2 1979 : 26,5%). In our third study (T 3), we studied in 150 cases selected at random out of the 628 cases studied in T 2.

[Respiratory allergy to trichophyton].

In 8 cases of rhinitis and asthma, the Trichophytons - of which the patient is often unaware as a cutaneous affection - were found to be responsible for the attacks by converging positive cutaneous tests, positive respiratory provocation tests and persevering dermatologic treatment. This infection is on the increase, due to faulty hygiene and use of mass swimming facilities.