Poor results in attempting to demonstrate the cause of death by examination of the conduction system of the heart in cases of sudden death

A microscopic examination of the proximal part of the conduction system in the heart was undertaken in seven cases of sudden death due to coronary arteriosclerosis; the same technique was applied to 31 control cases. A few infiltrations of mononuclear cells were demonstrated in relation to the conduction system in cases of sudden death as well as in controls. In one case severe narrowing of the sinus node artery was found without particular arteriosclerosis of the coronary arteries.