SummaryForty‐four cases of amoebiasis have presented at the Melbourne teaching hospitals between 1935 and 1958.A high mortality and high incidence of complications were noted. This is clearly‐related to difficulties experienced in diagnosis.It is suggested that in the absence of distinctive clinical features, an awareness of the condition and perseverance in the face of negative examinations are necessary if the diagnosis is to be established in the early stages of the illn