EPISTAXIS, the medical term for bleeding from the nose. It is common and usually of little importance in childhood. But it may be symptomatic of haemophilia (bleeders) when probably it will be necessary to apply styptics or plug the nostrils. In middle age it may indicate arteriosclerosis and high arterial ten sion and then the bleeding is salutary. Epistaxis also occurs in fracture of the base of the skull.