The work of Dragstedt and his associates at the University of Chicago has aroused universal interest in the treatment of chronic peptic ulcer by section of the vagus nerves. Even though the elapsed time since their first operation has been only about three and one-half years, the clinical results in their series of approximately 80 cases has clearly demonstrated the value of this procedure. We have shared the interest of many others in this work, but we were not willing to proceed with this operation before we had investigated the likelihood of anomalous distribution of the vagus nerves along the lower portion of the esophagus, the idea being that unless all the branches are divided the results of the operation might be disappointing. We have therefore gone into the autopsy room at the Presbyterian Hospital and through the cooperation of the pathologists been permitted to make dissections of the vagus