On the study of surface activity in excized lung extracts of various pulmonary diseases, following facts were concluded. 1]The minimum surface tension measured in lung extracts of tuberculous tissue surrounding cavitary lesion was 26.3dyne/cm and its stability index was 0.53. 2]Macroscopically almost normal lung tissue at a distance of tuberculous lesion in same lobe revealed 21.3 dyne/cm of minimum surface tension in extracts and its stability index showed 0.66. This low surface activity may be due to the chronic pneumonitis microscopically. 3] In the atelectatic lung which had been collapsed by chronic empyema the extracts revealed much higher minimum surface tension in 27.3 dyne/cm and its stabillry index revealed the least value of 0.47 without correlation of duration of disease. This suggests that the longstanding collapsed lung may be soon collapsed even after mechanical full expansion because of lack of surfactant.[KTCS 1972;1:1-8]