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The French potato starch industry received a tremendous impetus since the beginning of the 19th century. At that time it consisted of not less than 550 plants. At the beginning of the 20th century it became greatly concentrated leading to a final number of five potato starch factories. The simultaneously increased production capacity has enabled the French potato starch industry to rise to the number two position among the potato starch producing nations of Western Europe. Closely connected with this concentration is a simultaneous modernization of the whole agriculture. All the five starch factories are located in the areas with vast cultivation plains where extensively mechanized agricultural operations are prevalent. However, as a result of this mechanization the deliveries of potatoes contain much larger amounts of earth and stones. For this reason a new process for the separation of stones is currently being tested, in order to reduce the up to now necessary amount of washing water by means of an enriched mud and to improve the effect of potato washing at the same time. The five French potato starch factories are equipped with total-continous and total-automatic machines, and they produce a high-quality potato starch. The concentration to large production units, however, has led in places to an increase of waste water amounts. According to official calculations the raining of potato fruit juice on large areas as well as use of aired ponds have led to a 90% superior purification. Protein recovery in connection with a decrease in waste water volumes will make it possible to even surpass the official standard of purification of 95%, approaching a purification effect of 100% in an already predictable period of time.

Our experience with 20 cases of nonoperative retained biliary tract stone extractions is presented.†An improved instrumentation technique through a steerable catheter under roentgenologic control is described.A second surgical intervention for stone removal became unnecessary in all but 1 of our 20 patients undergoing this new roentgenologic technique.All 19 patients have remained asymptomatic after stone removal.The technique was unsuccessful in 1 patient due to our inability to catheterize a tortuous T-tube drain tract.Compared to re-operation or attempts of stone dissolution, extraction under roentgenologic control in the ambulatory patient is the method of choice for the treatment of retained biliary tract stones.

Summary A short case report is presented describing a large ureteral calculus which has a unique irregular patent channel traversing its longitudinal axis. Urine had apparently canalized its way through this calculus, partially relieving a pyelocaliectasis. Stone removal resulted in the return of normal kidney function.

One of the first problems confronting agriculture in its beginning was that of clearing the land, and making it ready for cultivation and crop production. Land clearing continues to be a matter of major importance, particularly in a relatively young and thinly populated country with such a large total land area as that of the Dominion of Canada. Not only are there large areas of virgin forest land which might be cleared advantageously, but many areas which were formerly under cultivation have been abandoned and have reverted to forest or brush growth.