A detailed study of Dicephalus dipus tetrabrachialis which could not be surgically corrected because of anatomic complexity is presented. The cardiovascular, urinary and nervous systems were interconnected. The gastrointestinal system was duplicated up to the mid-ileum with a single colon and rectum. A large fused liver, two, gall bladders with two bile duct systems, two pancreas and two spleens were present. Genital organs comprised of four testes. There was extreme cerebellar hypoplasia and congenital malformation of the heart in the incomplete twin.

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1. Comparative developmental stages in the CF#1 mouse, S.D. rat and Japanese white rabbit were examined under the same condition as when teratogenicity tests will be carried out. The developmental phase in presomite embryos, somite number, development of the eye and forelimb were taken as criteria so as to estimate the developmental stage of each species of animals employed. 2. Individual variation in development, progress of development, and corresponding stage of development were compared among the three species of animals. 3. Individual variation in development was the most apparent in the mouse, the next in the rabbit and the least in the rat. 4. Progress in development in the three species of animals examined was different according to the criterion adopted. Progress in development seen from the somite number was similar in the mouse and rat and progress was even constant. In the rabbit, progress in development in the first half period of organogenesis was similar to that in the mouse and rat. Thereafter, progress of development was slower than that in the mouse and rat. 5. Somite counts showed that developmental stages of day 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 in the mouse corresponded to those of day 91/2, 101/2, 111/2, 121/2 ar,d 131/2 in the rat and to those of day 711/2, 81/2, 911/2, 11 and 12 in the rabbit, respectively. However, when the development of the eye was taken as a criterion, developmental stages of day 10, 11, 12 and 13 in the mouse corresponded to those of day 111/2, 121/2, 131/2 and 141/2 in the rat and to those of day 10, 11, 12 and 13 in the rabbit, respectively. As far as the development in the forlimb, developmental stages of day 10, 11, 12 and 13 in the mouse were equivalent to those of day 111/2, 121/2, 131/2 and 15 in the rat and to those of day 11, 12, 13 and 15 in the rabbit, respectively.

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The author investigated effects of the simultaneous application of folic acid upon the teratogenicity of mitomycin C in mice of the CF#1 strain. A group of mice given mitomycin C alone as well as a group of mice given folic acid alone were respectively set up as controls. Mitomycin C of 5 mg per kg body weight was given intravenously on the 12th day of gestation, and each 30 mg per kg body weight of folic acid was given three times: 30 minutes before, one hour after and two hours after the mitomycin injection. On the 19th day of gestation, pregnant mice were cesarean sectioned, and anomalies of the fetus were observed. In the mitomycin group (MC group), 19 out of 30 successful pregnancies had more than one anomalous baby (63 percent), totally 121 defected fetuses out of 270 live-borns (44.8 percent). Principal deformities were cleft palate, oligodactylia and polydactylia. Besides, there were mamy anomalies of the ossification center of the vertebral body and the sternebra. On the other hand, 28 out of 30 successful pregnancies (93 percent) had more than one anomalous baby, 213 defected fetuses out of 283 live-borns in the group treated with mitomycin and folic acid (FA-MC group). And in the folic acid group (FA group), 5 out of 30 successful pregnancies had more than one anomalous baby, 16 defected fetuses out of 280 live-borns. Characteristic feature in the FA group was of the occurrence of surplus deformities in type. Mean body weights of the fetus at the time of laparotomy were 1.107g in the FA group, 0.771g in the MC group and 0.572g in the FA-MC group, respectively. Among mean body weights of these three groups, there were significant differences at the probability level of less than 0.001. Increases of the maternal body weight during the period of pregnancy were 16.13g in the FA- group, 12.00g in the MC group and 8.98g in the FA- MC group, differences having been all significant at the probability level of less than 0.001. From the above-mentioned, the teratogenicity of mitomycin C is seemed to be accelerated by the simultaneous application of folic acid.

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This study was undertaken to see whether chromosome abnormalities were a major factor in the etiology of habitual abortions. If chromosome abnormalities were a common occurrence in couples with a history of habitual abortion, a recommendation for inclusion of chromosomal analysis in habitual abortion would be important, since the need to counsel patients with regard to future pregnancies would be obvious. Furthermore, these couples would be a good source for study on transmission of chromosomal abnormalities of various types throughout kindreds. The subjects selected were 35 couples with a history of repeated abortions, especially in the early stage of pregnancy, who had no organic changes under clinical examinations. Cytogenetic studies performed on these couples revealed five structural abnormalities. The five structural abnormalities were 46XX, Dps+, 46XY, Gps+, 46XY*, Gps+ (*long Y) and two cases of long Y. These structural abnormalities are found in normal human chromosomes, but it is not proved whether these abnormalities have any genetical activity in habitual aborters.

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