Abstracts from Reports SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SRI RAMAKRISHNA MATH CHARITABLE DISPENSARY, BRODIE'S ROAD, MYLAPORE, MADRAS, FOR THE YEAR 1943 This dispensary which was started in 1925 as a side activity of the Sri Ramakrishna Mission treated during 1943 a total number of 73.253 patients of whom 12,906 The report acknowledges the various gifts were new. and contributions received during the year, and appeals for the_ foundation of an endowment fund and donations in kind or cash for medical appliances and outfits for the dispensary. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE KASHMIR MEDICAL MISSION OF THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY FOR THE YEAR 1943 new out-patients, and their total 34,109. The in-patients numbered 2.526 of whom 1,924 were males and 602 females. Three thousand eight hundred and thirteen surgical operations were performed, of these 630 were of major

There

were

attendances

16,535

were

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THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE

Six thousand two hundred and seventy-seven laboratory investigations were carried out and 254 perThe report contains a statement sons were x-rayed. of income and expenditure for the year 1943 together with a list of donations, subscriptions and offertories which amount to nearly Rs. 14,000. The hospital has for nearly three-quarters of a century been a great medical centre for the whole of Kashmir, and from the report before us it appears to be carrying on its good work as in the past.

nature.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PREMANANDA LEPER DISPENSARY, CALCUTTA, FOR THE YEAR 1943 During the year, food crisis

with

interfered

the

regular and increased attendance of patients to a great extent, although 757 cases were admitted for treatment

at both the clinics of which 582 were at Manicktolla and 175 at Kalighat. Of this number 636 were males, and 161 came from outside Calcutta. The total number of patients was 2,059 and the average daily attendances Antiwere 134.5 at Manicktolla and 91.7 at Kalighat. leprosy injections were given, and the patients also received treatment for ailments other than leprosy such as malaria, dysentery, etc. Kahn test, sedimentation rate and other tests were carried out in the laboratory. One thousand three hundred and twentythree patients attended sufficiently regularly to justify re-examination at the end of the year. The following results were obtained :? Diseases arrested?80; much improved?500; slightly improved?465; same as on admission?277; and worse ?1.

The home visitor had a very difficult time in tracing the whereabout of patients who discontinued treatment at their own discretion due to the food crisis in the

city.

Mrs. E. David, Lady Superintendent of the Sir John Anderson Health School, sent a batch of girl students to the Manicktolla clinic for training in leprosy. The desirability of training more health visitors in this way is stressed in the report, as it is likely to bring a large number of early cases to treatment. THE OF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY OF THE INDIAN RESEARCH FUND ASSOCIATION FOR THE YEAR 1943

REPORT BOARD

The annual report for 1943 (Secretariat. New Delhi, one rupee) contains an account of the researchps which were carried out in the various centres. We give below summaries of certain matters and would recommend interested readers to read the original. Chnlern.?Sulphanilylguanidine was tried in a series of 174 clinical cholera cases with 1.72 deaths against 6.32 per cent deaths in control cases. It was administered along with other routine treatment, the total dose beine 20 gm. The severe cholera epidemic in Madras Presidency in 1943 afforded an opportunity to assess the value of anti-cholera inoculations; it was found that immunity manifests on the fourth day, and the maximum level is reached on the 10th day whilst the protected population is at least 10 times less susceptible than the unprotected in getting cholera. Malaria.?The activities of the Malaria Institute, Delhi, were largelv devoted to instructional courses in malarioloey for officers of the Defence Department. A water soluble stain for rapid diagnosis of malaria has been prepared, yielding very satisfactory results. Certain indigenous drugs were tested on monkey malaria, but found to have no effect on the course of the disease. A spray containing 0.025 per cent pyrethrins has proved effective against flies and mosquitoes, and a vanishing cream containing 0.4 per cent pyrethrins has yielded the^rnost lasting results

price

_

against mosquitoes. Nutrition.?This is the largest section of the report. Several samples of ghee were tested for vitamin A

[Nov., 1944

content; the average value for pure cow'a ghee, obtained from well-fed cows, was 34 I.U. and for pure buffalo ghee only 10 I.U., while ordinary ghee had an at average potency of 9 I.U. The heating of ghee 130?C. for 20 minutes led to the destruction of 45 per cent of the vitamin A originally present. Ghee used in frying puris, etc. was found to lose the vitamin rapidly, and when it is heated to 200?C. or above for of the more than 10 minutes, practically the whole vitamin was destroyed. Dehydrated vegetables cannot be relied upon as anti-scorbutics after a few months storage. Nutritional diarrhoea is being investigated, preliminary results suggest that injection of nicotinic acid is of considerable value in its treatment. A list is given of those varieties of fish which have been found to be rich sources of one or other of the nutritive constituents. As to the biological value of fish protein, it was found to be the greatest with underdone rather than with raw, fully cooked or fried fish, but in the case of Hilsa, greatest value was obtained with fried and least with raw fish. Investigations were carried on the absorption of oils and fats, viz, mustard, coconut, sesame and groundnut oils, margarin, butter fat and vanaspati, and it was found to be high. Their rate of absorption is still under investigation. The the presence of fat in the diet was found to increase utilization of calcium and phosphorus, the most beneficial effect being seen with butter fat; on the other hand coconut oil excites an adverse effect. Experiments on the biological value of soya bean protein and the effect of supplementary value of pulses, when added to a poor rice diet, are proceeding. So far, Bengal gram has shown a slight bit definite superiority to other pulses. There is an account of an enquiry into starvation cases that are admitted into hospitals. The high death rate was due to intercurrent diseases such as malaria, dysentery and pneumonia. The clinical conditions associated with vitamin deficiencies were conspicuous by their absence. Some of the cases died after a few days' stay in the hospital in spite of no obvious disease condition and in spite of nursing, dietetic and medicinal help. The report also contains accounts of researches in leprosy, plague, pharmacology, maternal mortality and miscellaneous subjects.

SUMMARY REPORT OF THE FIFTH MEETING OF THE CENTRAL ADVISORY BOARD OF HEALTH HELD IN NEW DELHI ON THE 4TH, 5TH AND 6TH OCTOBER, 1943 At its fifth meetimr in New Delhi in October 1943, under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Sirdar Sir ?To^endra Sinch. member-in-charse, the Board considered some important items, one of which was the report of the food adulteration committee. It was obvious from the discussion that the Act was nominally in force: there was unusual delny in disposing of the cases which often ended in condonation of the offences or in imposing penalties where were not deterrant at all. Among its many recommendations were the creation of a cadre of public analysts in each province and state, and the necessity for giving powers to the Director of Public Health to control the working of the Act. In the matter of the post-war planning, the provinces and some of the states appeared to be preparing schemes, but, as Colonels Chopra and HaV pointed out, these depended entirely upon the funds available. Incidentally, Major-General Candy commented on the insufficient staffing of hospitals, whereby a doctor is required to dispose of anything from 300 to 600 out-patients a day; he asked the Board what possible attention a patient could cet if he was looked at_ for a minute. Sir Clutha Mackenzi's report on blindness in India was considered, and the Chairman was reouested to appoint a Joint Committee of Health and Education Boards to report on the subject and report on the practicability of his recommendations-

Nov., 1944]

SERVICE NOTES

?Dr. B. P. Mazoomdar related his experience of

pulsory (Behar)

com-

fair anti-cholera inoculation at Sitamarhi in 1942. The Epidemic Diseases Act was introduced with a considerable amount of propaganda but there was at once strong opposition. Various kinds of rumours were spread by mischievous people, and even some of his staff were roughly handled. The number ?f pilgrims fell from the usual 50,000-70,000 to 25,000, and of these 80 to 85 per cent were inoculated with the happy result that only five suspected cases of occurred during the period of the festival. The experiment was repeated in 1943, when there was usual number of visitors but there was very little opposition. Only 6 cases of cholera occurred and there no outbreak even after the mela was over. ^as Mr. M. C. Desai spoke on the satisfactory control of guinea-worm infection in Baroda State by treating infected wells with lime which destroyed the cyclops harbouring the embryos of the worm. Dr. W. R. Aykroyd gave an idea of the United Nations Conference on food and agriculture held at Hot Springs, U.S.A. Talking about nutrition on which the Conferhad laid great emphasis, some speakers said that ee what India needed just now was quantity rather than Quality and that steps should be taken to increase the purchasing power of the masses. One of the final objects discussed was the acute shortage of nurses all over the country, and the Board recommended the *?^nation of a provincial nursing service. The Board's function is to discuss and advise on health matters. In many cases, however, it was found that no effect had yet been given by Government to *ts recommendations passed at the previous four Meetings. This is said to be largely owing to the war.

^holera

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