Chronic stenosing gastritis was recognized and described by both Andral 1 and Cruveilhier 2 in 1829. Since that date much discussion has ensued among pathologists as to the nature of the process, some maintaining that it is always a malignant or cancerous condition, others that a benign inflammatory stenosis may occur. Among the synonyms found are "chronic interstitial gastritis," "sclerosis of the stomach," fibroid induration," "hypertrophic stenosis of the pylorus," "cirhosis of the stomach" or "linitis plastica." The term "Schrumpfmagen" has been most commonly employed in Germany. Von Sury 3 distinguishes two forms, a carcinomatous and a simple inflammatory type. He defines the latter as a primary increase in the thickness of the stomach wall, produced by a connective-tissue hyperplasia involving the submucosa and subserosa, the capacity of the stomach being diminished by a secondary contraction of the newly formed connective tissue. In a very exhaustive and critical review of the literature, he