Volume 49 · Issue 07 · 1935

In a recent publication on cerebro-spinal fever*, the writer em- phasized the importance of using monovalent sera in the treaOnent of the various types of meningococcal meningitis with a view to reducing its death rate. Whilst waiting for the dav when the bacteriologist may. be able to offer to the profession the specific type sera for the disease, we have recently discovered that apart from serum administration certain factors are of importance in considering the treatment of meningitis patients. The most important of these factors is the co-existing infestation with intestinal parasites, particularly hookworms and ascaris. In a fair number of our cases treated, either one or the other, or a combination of these parasites was responsible for the meningitic condition as proved by the fact that their removal resulted in immediate disappearance of the symptoms. For this type of cases in which no other causative agent could be found, I suggest that the term Helminthic meningism might be employed in preference to Ascarid meningitis.

The importance of the neutrophilic differential count has recently been shown by many investigators to be of some value for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. It marks a distinct advancement in blood work, for not infrequently a mere total white count and a differential count give very little information on the condition of the patient, especially in cases of severe sepsis in which there is no increase of total white count.

In the course of an interesting paper on some special features of Medical practice in South China, Dr. Erich Pglomm (1) makes a rather startling statement. He declares that in his experience intravenous infusions of normal saline solution, so often a life saving device in European Clinics, is a highly dangerous and often even fatal measure when applied to Chinese patients.

The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the frequency of anthrax pustules in China today, the various methods cf treatment employed, and especially to advocate a cheap and convenient method of treatment by injection of carbolic acid.

A high school student 21 years old, was admitted to our hospital, October 1934, giving the following history. A little less than two months before admission while in good health he began to have weakness of his hands.

When patients have been injured, it is most important to obtain an exact account of the occurrence of the injury. Language difficulties must be overcome.

Carcinoma of the cervix associated with pregnancy is a rare condition but it demands careful consideration. The following cases emphasize the difficulties in treating this complication of pregnancy.

The following is an account of forty-six cases of infantile beri-beri seen in this hospital during the years 1933-4. Thirty-five of them were treated as in-patients.

Missed abortion is a very interesting disease from the etiological. diagnostic, and medico-legal points of view. It has been considered to be a rare cWldition; however, while it may not be very common, certainly it is not rare. This subject has not been given the attention it deserves, and has been neglected by the obstetricians and gynecologists of the past and present. This fact was pointed out by Litzenberg in 1921, who found only 139 articles available in the literature, of which 10 were credited to American writers. Since then, there have been not more than a few articles added, and very few of these are written in the English language. Chinese medical literature practically has no mention of the disease. For this reason, the writer desires to record the cases of missed abortion treated in this clinic, in the hope of calling our medical colleagues attention to the fact that it is worth while recording their cases. The writer also Wishes to impress upon readers the advantages of using the X-ray and Zondek-Aschheim tests, in establishing the diagnosis of this condition.

Introduction and theories of monstrosity. Monstrosities being un-natural and infrequent arouse the curiosity of not only the professional class, but also of the laity. Attempts have been made by all types of people to explain the cause of such productions. Quite a number of investigators have spent time studying various monsters, trying to come nearer to the truth of their etiology. In consequence there are many facts revealed about them, and many theories proposed.

Atelectasis in pulmonary tuberculosis is an interesting subject for discussion. Many treatises concerning its cause or causes and its mechanism as well as the success of experimental work have been recently published, all of which definitely show the important role played by atelectasis in the evolution of tuberculous pulmonary processes and in helping to arrest the active process.

In a previous communication (1) it was stated that from a partial survey of the leprosy situation we had failed to find a single case of leprosy which could be called truly indigenous. Since then 23 new cases of leprosy have been seen among whom there are four natives of Manchuria. It is with the View of establishing the fact that leprosy is indigenous in Manchuria that this article is written.

A prominent feature of the monthly staff meeting at the First Hospital of the Red Cross Society of China is a survey of the months work. Each department reports the number of patients heated and the clinical results. Particular attention is given to unsatisfactory results, and aIl deaths are subjected to critical scrutiny.

In a review of all the typhoid fever cases in the available Chinese literature, the following summary may be given. There were 35 cases of typhoid and paratyphoid reported by Dr. H. J. Smyly of P.U.M.C. in 1920, 40 cases of typhoid fever by Dr. Lee S. Huizenga of Nanking University Hospital in 1923, 256 cases of typhoid fever by Dr. S. H. Zia of Peiping in 1928, and 200 cases of typhoid and paratyphoid fever by Dr. J. H. Wylie of the Taylor Memorial Hospital at Paotingfu in 1930.

Ever since something was known about the etiological agent of typhus fever, attempts have been made in providing a satisfactory vaccine for active immunization against this disease. The story in the development of the vaccine represents quite clearly an advancement in our knowledge in the etiological agent as we emerged from using infected material containing an unknown quantity of the "virus" to the present stage of purified suspensions of known Rickettsiæ, comparable to that of bacteria vaccine. It will, therefore, be worthwhile first to trace briefly this development in our knowledge and then to discuss more fully the more useful and practical means both in the methods of preparation and in the results that have been so far obtained. It must be remembered, that none of the methods is as yet perfect, and it is quite conceivable that further improvements will be made in the near future.

Last month saw the graduation of many medical students. In welcoming them into our ranks, we would urge upon them, in their own interest and in the interest of the public whose welfare the State seeks to safeguard, the necessity of getting themselves placed on the National Medical Register.