Résumé
Forty-three cases of fatty infiltration of the heart were studied from a review of 1787 consecutive autopsies done at White Cross Hospital from 1932 to 1950 inclusive. This constituted 2.4 per cent of the total autopsies and 7.61 per cent of 565 autopsied cases of heart disease during this period of studyFatty infiltration of the myocardium was frequently found in the right ventricle. This entity was more commonly seen in the older age group, past 50 years and both men and women equally affected in this series. There was no relationship to obesity or alcoholismThe clinical histories of 31 cases revealed that the patients were seriously ill and the conditions were severe enough to cause the death of the patients even without fatty infiltration of the myocardium. Two patients supposedly died from fatty infiltration. of the heartLiver biopsy as a diagnostic procedure in this condition offers no real possibilities. The critical condition of these patients may actually be a limiting factor as far as diagnostic procedures are concerned. The electrocardiogram may offer nothing specific. Perhaps myocardial biopsy will provide a specific diagnosis. (Summary)