STIPPLING OF RED BLOOD-CELLS

1318 THE

STIPPLING OF RED BLOOD-CELLS.-PARLIAMENT

MISAPPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL PNEUMOTHORAX To the Editor of THE LANCET

I express the profound hope that all readers will take the advice given by Dr. H. your Batty Shaw in his letter in your issue of June 10th, and will read, learn, and inwardly digest the article to which he refers-namely, The Value of Artificial Pneumothorax, by Dr. Cedric Shaw, in the April number of the Quarterly Journal of Medicine. It is almost unbelievable, yet true, that at the present time there are many members, of the profession who tell their patients and theircolleagues that they " do not believe in artificial pneumothorax treatment," and some who send their patients to a sanatorium " on the condition that artificial pneumothorax treatment will not be undertaken." In some cases this is comparable with sending a case of acute appendicitis or acute mastoiditis to hospital on the condition that no operation is done ;. for the ultimate harm done by depriving the patient of the appropriate active treatment may be just as great, although not so quickly evident. There are other cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, however, in which it is right to wait and to give the patient a chance of healing by rest in bed, before subjecting him or her to the admittedly small risks of artificial pneumothorax treatment. I am. Sir. vours faithfully. F. H. HUNNARD,

SIR,-May

June llth, 1933.

Assistant Physician, Pendyffryn Hall Sanatorium.

be relied upon, of these artificially produced stippled cells. In this connexion it is interesting to note that Dr. Whitby and Dr. Britton have confirmed the observation of Schwaz and Hefke and others that the number of stippled cells appearing in the film is influenced by the method of staining employed. I pointed out in my paper that it is doubtful if stippling is present as such in the circulating red cell, and that it would rather appear that the basophilic material is so altered as a result of the effects of lead that it is clumped into the characteristic granules at the moment of fixation. The suggestion, advanced by Dr. Whitby and Dr. Britton, that this alteration occurs in the bonemarrow is an interesting one and, if upheld, would go far to explain why the addition of lead to red cells in vitro does not cause stippling. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, R. W. BROOKFIELD. Liverpool, June 12th. 1933. can

PARLIAMENT

Reassembly BOTH

Tuesday,

Houses of

after Whitsuntide.

Parliament

reassembled

June 13th, after the Whitsuntide

UNIVERSITY

on

recess.

COLLEGE, LONDON

OPENING OF THE NEW ZOOLOGY

BUILDINGS

On June 12th the Earl of Athlone, Chancellor of the University of London, who earlier in the day had unveiled

within the precincts of the new zoology buildings a mural tablet to the memory of Sir Gregory Foster, the first provost, of the College, formally opened the new home for the department of zoology and comparative anatomy. On the platform were Sir John Rose Bradford, chairman of the College committee, who presided ; the Chancellor; Prof. L. N. G. Filon, the Vice-Chancellor ; Mr. Allen Mawer, that stippling of the red cell is a purely degenerative Litt.D., the Provost; and Prof. D. M. S. Watson, the Jodrell professor of zoology. Among those present were:phenomenon. In their article in your issue of H.R.H. Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone ; Lady Bradford;June 3rd (p. 1173) Dr. Whitby and Dr. Britton have Sir G. Buckston Browne; Sir Henry and Lady Dale; demonstrated once again in a very convincing manner Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Dale; Mr. Edwin Deller, LL.D., the relation of stippled and polychromatic cells to the Principal of the University ; Mrs. L. N. G. Filon ; Sir Ernest Lady Graham-Little ; Dr. and Mrs. A. M. H. which latter is almost reticulocyte, universally Gray; and Sir Frederick Hobday; Dr. George MacLean;acknowledged to be an immature red blood-cell. They and Dr. A. J. Rodocanachi. Sir John Rose Bradford in are to be congratulated particularly on the accuracy opening the proceedings paid a warm tribute to the services University College had rendered to science in the they have attained in the enumeration of poly- which of zoology and comparative anatomy, and in department cells chromatic and the excellent controls they have particular referred to the work of Prof. R. E. Grant, who tabulated. delivered the first course of lectures when the department In studying this same question I was able to show was founded in 1828, and to that of Burdon Sanderson, both of whom had played a very great part in biological in 1928 (Jour. Path. and Bact., xxxi., 277) that, in Lord Athlone then declared the new buildings teaching. patients undergoing treatment of cancer by lead, open and in doing so said that the courtyard which the the appearance and increase in number of stippled buildings surrounded had been named Foster Court, as a tribute to the first provost. To ensure an adequate training cells often closely paralleled but never exceeded the for students of zoology it had been necessary to provide rise in the number of reticulocytes which followed staff and laboratories for the study of genetics, comparativethe lead injections-thus strongly suggesting that the physiology, and animal behaviour. Through the generosity the Rockefeller Foundation, the London County Council,: stippled cells were included in the number of the of and that of Dr. Rodocanachi, it had been possible to establish themselves and were therefore immature reticulocytes posts in the subjects he had mentioned and to provide those red cells. I followed up these observations by a who might be appointed to them with the laboratories, morphological study of reticulocytes, employing equipment, and library facilities which they needed. Prof. Watson, in proposing a vote of thanks to Lord Athlone, different concentrations of cresyl blue for precipitating said that the College had been fortunate in obtaining the their basophil material. I found that, using weaker services of Mr. J. B. S. Haldane as professor of genetics. concentrations of cresyl blue, it was possible in normal The new buildings, which were originally occupied by Messrs. Shoolbred, contain space in the basement for the bloods to produce at will appearances indistinguishable cooling plant, which will supply brine to rooms and aquaria from stippling in cells which, with stronger concenat constant temperature. On the ground floor are the of the dye, showed typical reticulum. Dr. trations Lankester theatre, classrooms, a workshop, a laboratory, Whitby and Dr. Britton express some scepticism, and aquarium; on the first floor laboratories and research with the staff common room and professors’ rooms ; apparently founded on their inspection of an rooms on the second floor laboratories, store and preparation rooms, admittedly not altogether satisfactory camera lucida and a museum. The new main staircase occupies the painting which appeared in my paper, as to the eastern half of an internal tower which has been carried up so as to provide a small fourth floor and a flat roof on validity of these conclusions ; I may perhaps be which On account of the now stands a greenhouse. for of on the some pardoned emphasising, grounds of the original structure it has been possible, simplicity experience in the type of work in question, the with Prof. A. E. Richardson’s help, to design each of the. genuine nature in so far as morphological appearances rooms to fulfil its particular purpose.

STIPPLING OF RED BLOOD-CELLS To the Editor of THE LANCET SiR,-It is remarkable how tenaciously certain haematologists of repute cling to the old conception