- Email: [email protected]
AMBULANCE AEROPLANES IN NORTH AFRICA
954
might be anticipated on this hypothesis, fairly large post-operative rise was observed in the serum phosphatase, a rise which was sometimes persistent to the end of the experiment. If Armstrong and Banting’s views of the origin of serum phosphatase are correct, the logical corollary would be to ascribe this increase entirely to increased
with Cheshire and Cumberland, but net amount of 14,137 acres and 15,304 population to nine of its county boroughs. Four urban districts have been abolished and no fewer than forty-four have undergone alteration. Four rural districts have likewise been abolished and eleven others have undergone alteration. As at
disturbance. But is this really the case6[ And is the available evidence really sufficient to allow us to limit the origin of the serum enzyme in a normal animal to any one organ or tissue ? 6[
present constituted this volume shows that the population of Lancashire was, in 1931, roughly 5,040,000, of which nearly one-third was resident in Liverpool and Manchester.
ments,
as
a
osseous
AMBULANCE AEROPLANES IN
proportion of civilian surgical cases requiring transport by air, and the ambulance aeroplane proves increasingly popular for medical cases. Last year
length
of
an
evacuation
flight
was
kilometres, and flights of 1000 kilometres and more were by no means exceptional. The question of cost is engaging the attention of the authorities, who hope to effect an appreciable reduction in the charges to civilians by the exploitation of civilian aeroplanes fitted so as to take patients in an 285
emergency. The civil population of North Africa looks to the air ambulance service more and more for help in time of need. THE CENSUS
WITH the issue
early this
year of the General
Tables, comprising statistics of population, institutions, ages and marital conditions, birthplace and
nationality, and of the Welsh language, the normal series of publications presenting statistics derived from the 1931 Census may be regarded as complete. As originally planned and announced two types of volumes have been issued-namely, those affording for each separate county (or in a few cases a group of small counties) the statistics relating to subjects which possess distinct local interest, and those presenting for the country as a whole the statistics
relating
to
a
has lost
a
ALUMINIUM IN
NORTH AFRICA
THE French ambulance air service in North Africa has lately been described by Colonel M. J. A. Schie,kel6.1- In 1934 the number of patients evacuated was only 227, compared with 576 in 1933, but there The Army still supplies was not a-single accident. most of the patients, but there is an increasing
the average
adjustments
single subject-e.g., occupations
or
industries. These volumes record the different of the aspects population of 1931 in the administrative areas as constituted at that date. As a result, however, of county reviews and rearrangements under the Local Government Act of 1929 a very large number of boundary alterations have been, and are continuing to be, made. With the completion of each county reorganisation, therefore, the more important census statistics in respect of the revised areal divisions are being issued in a special supplementary series of publications-County Volumes, Part II.-a procedure especially desirable in view of the decision not to take a census next year. The population given for these newly constituted areas is, of course, that present in them on the night of April 26th, 1931, but this at least affords some basis for estimations of the present population and the double classifications give continuity with the past and future. The magnitude of the changes involved in a large county is shown in the volume just issued, that for Lancashire.2 The administrative county as a whole has obtained a net increase of 1378 acres and 70 population in marginal boundary 1 Arch. de méd. et de pharm. milit., September, 1935, p. 511. 2 Census of England and Wales, 1931. County of Lancaster. Part II. H.M. Stationery Office. 2s.
FOOD
Dr. G. W. Monier-Williams, writing from the foods of the Ministry of Healthy summarises what is known about the effect of aluminium on the animal system, and contributes some useful experiments of his own. He points out that in fertile soils, aluminium, like iron and manganese, appears to be present almost wholly in insoluble form and that the soluble salts of these metals, especially of aluminium, make acid soils toxic to many plants. Since iron and manganese-and in some cases aluminium-are found in plants, they must reach their tissues in a soluble form via the soil water. Nevertheless aluminium does not appear to be a general constituent of plants, although in some it is found in appreciable or even considerable amounts, mostly in hydrophilic ones. It seems certain that in many cases aluminium found in roots has been left as a result of imperfect cleansing when preparing for analysis-a possibility which will be appreciated by anyone who has made analyses of root-ashes. MonierWilliams concludes that the aluminium consumed in properly cleaned vegetable food does not amount to more than 5 to 10 parts per million, but whether this small proportion is proper to the tissues or is contained in residual aluminium silicates from soil or dust it is as yet impossible to say. In animal tissues the highest proportion found-viz., 124 parts per million-was by Underhill and Peterman in the thyroids of pigs and rats, but their findings have been contested. Myers and his co-workers found only 1-2 parts in all organs, and other workers on the whole confirm the lower figures. In his discussion of analytical technique, Monier-Williams suggests that non-specific methods may have been responsible for some of the higher results. The outcry however has not been directed against aluminium naturally present in foodstuffs, but against its introduction from vessels in which food is prepared. The action of food on aluminium vessels is, in general, slight. Monier-Williams found that whilst distilled water boiled in aluminium vessels and allowed to stand overnight contained no aluminium, tap water similarly treated took up from 7’7 to 19-2 parts per million. Dilute organic acids take up more than water, but the action of acids in foods seems to be retarded by the presence of colloids. Mutton broth with mixed vegetables, when cooked in an enamelled pan, contained 1-3 parts per million of aluminium, while a similar mixture in an aluminium pan contained immediately after cooking 7,0 parts ; when kept in the same pan and reheated, after 24 hours, 10-6 parts, after 48 hours, 11.5 parts (he does not say what, other metals were taken up from the enamelled vessel). The action of alkalis is well known; sodium carbonate should not be used for cleaning aluminium vessels unless it contains a small proportion of sodium silicate.
laboratory
1
on Public Health and Medical Subjects. Aluminium By G. W. Monier-Williams, Ph.D., F.I.C. H.M. Office. 9d. Stationery
Reports
in Food.
might be anticipated on this hypothesis, fairly large post-operative rise was observed in the serum phosphatase, a rise which was sometimes persistent to the end of the experiment. If Armstrong and Banting’s views of the origin of serum phosphatase are correct, the logical corollary would be to ascribe this increase entirely to increased
with Cheshire and Cumberland, but net amount of 14,137 acres and 15,304 population to nine of its county boroughs. Four urban districts have been abolished and no fewer than forty-four have undergone alteration. Four rural districts have likewise been abolished and eleven others have undergone alteration. As at
disturbance. But is this really the case6[ And is the available evidence really sufficient to allow us to limit the origin of the serum enzyme in a normal animal to any one organ or tissue ? 6[
present constituted this volume shows that the population of Lancashire was, in 1931, roughly 5,040,000, of which nearly one-third was resident in Liverpool and Manchester.
ments,
as
a
osseous
AMBULANCE AEROPLANES IN
proportion of civilian surgical cases requiring transport by air, and the ambulance aeroplane proves increasingly popular for medical cases. Last year
length
of
an
evacuation
flight
was
kilometres, and flights of 1000 kilometres and more were by no means exceptional. The question of cost is engaging the attention of the authorities, who hope to effect an appreciable reduction in the charges to civilians by the exploitation of civilian aeroplanes fitted so as to take patients in an 285
emergency. The civil population of North Africa looks to the air ambulance service more and more for help in time of need. THE CENSUS
WITH the issue
early this
year of the General
Tables, comprising statistics of population, institutions, ages and marital conditions, birthplace and
nationality, and of the Welsh language, the normal series of publications presenting statistics derived from the 1931 Census may be regarded as complete. As originally planned and announced two types of volumes have been issued-namely, those affording for each separate county (or in a few cases a group of small counties) the statistics relating to subjects which possess distinct local interest, and those presenting for the country as a whole the statistics
relating
to
a
has lost
a
ALUMINIUM IN
NORTH AFRICA
THE French ambulance air service in North Africa has lately been described by Colonel M. J. A. Schie,kel6.1- In 1934 the number of patients evacuated was only 227, compared with 576 in 1933, but there The Army still supplies was not a-single accident. most of the patients, but there is an increasing
the average
adjustments
single subject-e.g., occupations
or
industries. These volumes record the different of the aspects population of 1931 in the administrative areas as constituted at that date. As a result, however, of county reviews and rearrangements under the Local Government Act of 1929 a very large number of boundary alterations have been, and are continuing to be, made. With the completion of each county reorganisation, therefore, the more important census statistics in respect of the revised areal divisions are being issued in a special supplementary series of publications-County Volumes, Part II.-a procedure especially desirable in view of the decision not to take a census next year. The population given for these newly constituted areas is, of course, that present in them on the night of April 26th, 1931, but this at least affords some basis for estimations of the present population and the double classifications give continuity with the past and future. The magnitude of the changes involved in a large county is shown in the volume just issued, that for Lancashire.2 The administrative county as a whole has obtained a net increase of 1378 acres and 70 population in marginal boundary 1 Arch. de méd. et de pharm. milit., September, 1935, p. 511. 2 Census of England and Wales, 1931. County of Lancaster. Part II. H.M. Stationery Office. 2s.
FOOD
Dr. G. W. Monier-Williams, writing from the foods of the Ministry of Healthy summarises what is known about the effect of aluminium on the animal system, and contributes some useful experiments of his own. He points out that in fertile soils, aluminium, like iron and manganese, appears to be present almost wholly in insoluble form and that the soluble salts of these metals, especially of aluminium, make acid soils toxic to many plants. Since iron and manganese-and in some cases aluminium-are found in plants, they must reach their tissues in a soluble form via the soil water. Nevertheless aluminium does not appear to be a general constituent of plants, although in some it is found in appreciable or even considerable amounts, mostly in hydrophilic ones. It seems certain that in many cases aluminium found in roots has been left as a result of imperfect cleansing when preparing for analysis-a possibility which will be appreciated by anyone who has made analyses of root-ashes. MonierWilliams concludes that the aluminium consumed in properly cleaned vegetable food does not amount to more than 5 to 10 parts per million, but whether this small proportion is proper to the tissues or is contained in residual aluminium silicates from soil or dust it is as yet impossible to say. In animal tissues the highest proportion found-viz., 124 parts per million-was by Underhill and Peterman in the thyroids of pigs and rats, but their findings have been contested. Myers and his co-workers found only 1-2 parts in all organs, and other workers on the whole confirm the lower figures. In his discussion of analytical technique, Monier-Williams suggests that non-specific methods may have been responsible for some of the higher results. The outcry however has not been directed against aluminium naturally present in foodstuffs, but against its introduction from vessels in which food is prepared. The action of food on aluminium vessels is, in general, slight. Monier-Williams found that whilst distilled water boiled in aluminium vessels and allowed to stand overnight contained no aluminium, tap water similarly treated took up from 7’7 to 19-2 parts per million. Dilute organic acids take up more than water, but the action of acids in foods seems to be retarded by the presence of colloids. Mutton broth with mixed vegetables, when cooked in an enamelled pan, contained 1-3 parts per million of aluminium, while a similar mixture in an aluminium pan contained immediately after cooking 7,0 parts ; when kept in the same pan and reheated, after 24 hours, 10-6 parts, after 48 hours, 11.5 parts (he does not say what, other metals were taken up from the enamelled vessel). The action of alkalis is well known; sodium carbonate should not be used for cleaning aluminium vessels unless it contains a small proportion of sodium silicate.
laboratory
1
on Public Health and Medical Subjects. Aluminium By G. W. Monier-Williams, Ph.D., F.I.C. H.M. Office. 9d. Stationery
Reports
in Food.