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To the Editor: The many French-speaking readers of the A. M. A. Journal of Diseases of Children were much interested in the paper by Alanson Hinman and Lloyd B. Dickey on "Breath-Holding Spells" and in the psychological and psycho-analytical developments of the authors (Vol. 91, N. 1).I should however like to point out to your readers that the syndrome in question, well known since Rilliet and Barthez, mentioned in your Journal with reference to a German translation, has been known in France as "spasme du sanglot" (sob spasm), a name which I proposed in 1948 and which has been generally accepted. The clinical description, diagnosis, treatment, encephalography, and the difference from epilepsy, spasmophilia, tetany, etc., are taught to our young students under the name of "sob spasm". This indication may help American authors in search of information on the subject beyond the range of the literature available in English.

The object of this study is to assess the effect of chemoprophylaxis applied as quickly as possible after the date of tuberculin conversion on the risk of post-primary morbidity. 2,970 subjects aged 5 to 24 years were recruited and randomly allocated to 2 groups, one receiving isoniazid for a duration of at least 5 months, the other constituting the control group. These cases were included in this prospective and longitudinal survey from 1959 to 1966. Surveillance was carried on till 1969. Thus the duration of the observation varies from 3 to 10 years. From statistical analysis carried out according to the actuarial method, the risk of tuberculous morbidity is found to be 3 times lower in those submitted to chemoprophylaxis (0,9 g per cent) than In those who did not take the drug (2.72 per cent). This study was preceded by a survey involving 5,000 cases including a majority of latent tuberculosis in subjects under 25 years. The effective action of antibacillary drugs was shown previously.