[Hereditary pancreatitis].

Attention is drawn to the possible genetic origin of pancreatitis infrequent in childhood. In the case of the authors the diagnosis was supported in the absence of external pathogenic factors by characteristic amino acid excretion which was demonstrable with 8 of the 11 members examined in the family. Genetic relationship is supposed to exist between hereditary pancreatitis and cystin-lysin excretion.