Volume 49 · Issue 02 · 1935

This paper is not intended as a treatise on cerebro-spinal meningitis, but is a simple. report on an epidemic which brought to our hospital, in the course of three months, an interesting series of forty three cases. During some 12 years in south Hunan, we had seen less than ten cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis, of the meningococcus type, prior to the epidemic in the Spring of 1934. Previous cases were always sporadic, since, even when we received three cases in one day from a certain government school, there was never any further outbreak. Tuberculous and pneumococcic meningitis (and possible leprous meningitis) have been met with, but have no place in this report.

"In any statistical study it is of the highest methodological importance to examine critically and formulate clearly the characteristics of the sample of the population forming its basis. The extent of degree to which the sample is differentiated (selected) from the population in general should be as clearly apprehended and defined as possible. Such differentiation or selection definitely limits the breadth of possible generalization from the results."

Ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint limits completely or partially the opening of the mouth. The condition may be unilateral or bilateral, intra-articular or extra-articular, fibrous or bony. In extra-articular ankylosis the motion of the mandible is limited by fibrous bands - the end result of infection - which bind the maxilla and mandible together. This type of ankylosis deserves special consideration and will not be discussed in this paper. A description of intra- articular ankylosis (fibrous and bony) will be given with a report of cases treated in the Peiping Union Medical College Hospital, which serve to illustrate the operative correction of this condition.

The late Dr. W. S. Baer, who advocated the use of live maggots for chronic osteomyelitis, stated that when America first entered the World War in 1917 the mortality of compound fractures of the femur was about eighty per cent (1). In his opinion this heavy death rate was due to want of proper first aid spIinting and bad management of the transportation. But I think the method of treatment employed at the time must have been responsible to some extent. Evidently this subject is worthy of serious discussion.

The advantages of spinal anaesthesia are so obvious that almost anyone who uses it a few times is at first enthusiastic about it. Two colleagues of mine who witnessed its use in my hands requested it when they came to operation. The muscular relaxation, the contraction of the intestines enabling facile exposure, the case of induction, the ability of the patient to co-operate and to take fluids during and immediately after the operation, are all obvious advantages. The marked vascular hypotension that occasionally accompanies spinal anaesthesia has been a serious objection, but Labat's dictum that the Trendelenberg position is to be considered an inherent feature of spinal induction has finally gained the hearing that it has deserved, and has obviated this heretofore serious disadvantage.

In our previous communication (1) we have presented the results of chemical analyses made on different samples of the so-called "mosquito incense", and demonstrated that it contains a large amount of arsenic trioxide. We have suggested that the use of this highly noxious article in the household is dangerous and in all probability would eventually result in iIl-health among its users.

Attention was called to the relation between tuberculosis and theumatism in 1897 by Poncet, who described for the first time the so-called tuberculous theumatism. Since then the studies of Melchior, Russelor and Ancilloti have further added to our knowledge of the disease. However, the disease has been regarded as an entity by itself and no attempt has been made to include all cases of theumatic arthritis under tuberculous etiology.

Cases of poisoning by Hui-ts'ai (灰菜) are fairly common in Shantung, Hopei and Manchuria. The infrequency of reports of it in current literature is largely due to the mildness of the condition in many cases which do not call for hospital attention. Only those in whom the condition assumes a grave nature resort to medical consultation.

One of the very valuable reports coming from The White House Conference on Child Health and Protection is a study of the present status of pediatric education in the United States.

Owing to the depression a large number of foreign members who have left China for their homes in Europe or America have cancelled their membership in the Association. At the present time we have exactly fifty such members on our list. This year we are trying to make up for this Joss by encouraging our foreign colleagues in this country to join the Chinese Medical Association which is a unique organization in that it is the only national assocation of its kind in the world in which native as well as foreign physicians are united in a single body for the advancement of medical science and for the promotion of friendly relations.

Naegele pelvis are rare, and out of sixty-six patients with definitely contracted pelvis coming into the Peiping Union Medical College for delivery between 1920 and 1933, this is the only patient who exhibited the obliquely contracted variety of pelvis which has been associated with the name of Naegele.

Ovarian cyst complicating pregnancy is not too uncommon. Typhoid infection of an ovarian cyst is a rare condition. In searching for literature in the quarterly cumulative index medicus, 1928-1933, I have found that Brandao (1), Barsony (2), Tapil (3) and von Oettengen (4) had each reported a case of this kind in their own languages. Typhoid infection of the ovarian cyst complicating pregnancy is extremely rare and there is no record of this kind in the literature. Owing to this, I think that the following case is worth reporting.