DISORDERS of the thyroid gland have fascinated surgeons since 1878, when Theodor Kocher first published his report of a successful thyroidectomy.1 Accentuated interest in this subject found an impetus in 1912, when Hashimoto described a new pathologic entity in the thyroid gland.2 Since he was the first to describe the lesion, it bears his name as well as the descriptive term "struma lymphomatosa." This clinicopathologic entity is unusual because of its low incidence as well as its bizarre pathologic picture and symptom complex. A study of the literature unfolds many discrepancies as to the exact number of cases reported since it was first described by Hashimoto. In order to clarify this problem, Dr. A. Graham in 1931 studied the literature extensively.3 He divided the reported cases into ten categories, interpreting and grouping them for statistical purposes. His analysis clearly demonstrated the existing confusion, duplication and lack of