Abstract
In the Bristol clinical area the frequency of gall bladder operations rose by a factor of 3.4 between 1940 and 1970, the greatest increase occurring in the 1950s. The increase took place in all age groups, but was greatest in the under-30s and in men. Numerous factors affect the chance of a patient with gall stones being operated on, but a change of this magnitude suggests there has been a substantial rise in the incidence of gall stones since the second world war. This belief is supported by data from the nationwide Hospital In-patient Enquiry.