Volume 93 · Issue 02 · 1980

This report describes the successful treatment of a 2.5 years old child with burns covering 98% of the body surface, of which 94% were full-thickness. Fluid replacement, maintenance of a patent airway and correction of anoxia were early measures to tide the patient over the shock stage. Surfaces with full-thickness burn were eliminated by early escharectomy and the use of perforated homografts and autografts. Drugs that promote nutrition, detoxication and the increase of body fluids in traditional Chinese medicine were also used.

In this study we have examined the falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli in 100 adult cranial specimens (male 87, female 13). According to the existence and shape of the interspace between the free margins of the falx cerebri and corpus callosum, the falx cerebri is classified into 3 types. Cephalad to the corpus callosum, there is an interspace of varying size below the lower free margin of the falx cerebri. Natural defects of varying size and shape are found on the falx cerebri of our 31 specimens. Based on our observation of 37 embryonic and fetal specimens, we discovered that as fetal age advances the falx cerebri develops in the order from behind forwards and from above downwards, so the hind and upper portions become thick and firm while the frontal and inferior portions remain thin and soft. According to the natural shape of the incisura tentorium cerebelli, it is classified into 2 types and 4 subtypes. These discoveries may be helpful in considering the pathogenesis of those portions of the brain herniated below the falx cerebri above or below the incisura tentorium cerebelli.

In a case of direct Wenckebach phenomenon in the right bundle branch system, the ECG showed progressive widening of QRS complexes, which finally assumed the pattern of a complete right bundle branch block. The P-R interval was relatively fixed, but the P-P shortened as QRS widened progressively, suggesting a rate dependant factor concomitant with the Wenckebach second degree block. The 3 possible forms of Wenckebach phenomenon in the bundle branch system and the diagnostic criteria are discussed.

Some of the important pharmacologic actions of 15-methyl PGF2α are reported in this paper. The potency of subcutaneous 15-methyl PGF2α in terminating early pregnancy in mice is about 10 times greater than that of PGF2α. This action can be suppressed by simultaneous administration of either megestrol acetate or HCG. 15-methyl PGF2α can also shorten the pseudopregnancy period and inhibit the formation of deciduoma. Experiments on isolated smooth muscles show that the contractile activity of 15-methyl PGF2α on the uterine muscle is similar to that of PGF2α. However, contractile activity of 15 methyl-PGF2α on isolated rat stomach fundus and rabbit jejunum are only 30% that of PGF2α. Acute toxicity tests on monkeys show no observable toxic reactions after administration of 15-methyl PGF2α at the doses used in this experiment.

After experiments on 20 piglets, 28 severe cases of cold injury syndrome were rewarmed with microwave irradiation with good effects, 20 recovered. During warming the temperature rose gradually an average 1 C after 6 to 7 minutes. 8 infants died, a fatality rate, of 28.6%.

Since 1971 our clinic has been reorganized into a joint anti-lung cancer and anti-tuberculosis clinic with the cooperation of all the district's hospitals and the Shanghai Chest Hospital. Through mass mobilization and investigation early cases are discovered. The network organizes the health personnel better and those who need it get specialized training and methods of early diagnosis are improved. The district's 5-year survival rate has been increased to 8.46%.

Of 21 cases of cryptococcal meningitis encountered in a 5-year period, 16 were treated with garlic alone and 5 with garlic and other drugs. Among the 16 cases, 6 were cured and 5 improved, giving an effective rate of 68.75%. Preliminary experimental studies of the mechanism of the pharmacologic action of garlic show that it may have fungistatic action and improve the patient's immunologic function. It is also obviously cheap, plentiful and causes no major side-effects.

A general survey of 4 million inhabitants was made in Shanghai to ascertain the prevalence rate of mental disease during 1972-1973. It was found that the average prevalence rate of mental disorder was 7.28‰, the urban districts being 7.86‰ and rural area 6.67‰. A 3-level scheme of organization for mental disease has been established and shows encouraging results.

Particles closely resembling hepatitis A virus (HAV) are isolated from 6 of 10 patients studied and high titered anti-HAV serum is produced which is interesting and may be of practical importance for diagnosis purposes. Further studies for more definite identification of the particles is being persued.