From the available literature it appears that inhalational abscess of the lung following E.C.T. is a rare condition, but it is difficult to assess the actual incidence. Cook (1944), in his extensive review of the subject, quotes Meduna and Friedmann (1939) as stating that lung abscess occurred in 0.1 per cent. of cases, but this probably refers to patients undergoing metrazol convulsions, in whom there is an additional risk of embolic abscesses due to mobilization of thrombus at the site of injection. Jessner and Ryan (1943) mention that aspiration pneumonia may complicate metrazol treatment, and that pulmonary abscess may occur as a result of old pelvic thrombo-phlebitis or from mobilization of thrombus at the site of injection. They do not refer to inhalational lung abscess complicating E.C.T. Sargant and Slater (1944) state that chest complications are rare after convulsion treatment. Kraines (1943) and Brain and Strauss (1945) do not discuss the condition. Vassallo (1946) in an unpublished series of over 300 cases has observed one inhalational lung abscess. Kalinowsky and Hoch (1946) say: “The development of pulmonary diseases during treatment is rare in E.C.T., but was quite frequent in metrazol therapy.” They mention some possible reasons for this, e.g. abscess due to mobilization of thrombi at the site of injection. They add: “The literature on E.C.T. contains only one case of pulmonary abscess” (Kalinowsky and Werthing, 1943). The paper quoted, however, merely states, that the patient developed a lung abscess which was successfully treated with sulphanilamide. All authorities agree that pre-existing lung disease, and especially tuberculosis, is a strong contra-indication for E.C.T. Since there are so few references to this illness in the literature it seems profitable to describe a case.