It is instructive to review the complications in any series of cases of a standard procedure. One may avoid some, recognize some early and by so doing institute therapy which may reduce morbidity or mortality. Until Jan. 1, 1942 my associates and I have had an experience with more than 500 cases of one stage abdominoperineal resections for cancer of the rectum, some of the complications of which I will enumerate. In general they are those attendant on any major pelvic operation; some are more common, while others, which one might presume to be frequent, are significant by their absence. Parotitis is not common (about 5 per cent). It seems to run in cycles, months elapsing between groups of a few cases. Manning1 at the Cleveland Clinic reviewed a series of cases in which the biophotometer test was made for the level of vitamin A. A low level is