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STRAWBERRIES AS FOOD
996
public service the best which is humanly possible under present circumstances," Dr. Dain11 adds, with a
new
sincerity
that
none
will wish to
betray :
"
The individual citizen will be free to decide whether he will take advantage of the public service in whole or in part. But this will not mean that there will be two qualities of medical service rendered to the public. Only the best is good enough for the public service, and we shall do our utmost to provide it."
STRAWBERRIES AS FOOD THE strawberry, now in full picking season, consists almost entirely of water (88-9%), sugar (6-2%), and unavailable carbohydrate (2.2%), but it is a good, though variable, source of vitamin C. Investigation by the U.S. of Agriculture 12 last year showed that the ascorbic-acid content averaged about 60 mg. per 100 g., though for some varieties the figure was 75-80 mg. An average helping (a quarter of a pound) would therefore fulfil the daily requirements of an adult. Strawberries grown in the shade contained less vitamin C than those exposed to normal sunlight, and ripening on the plant produced the best content. Some say that it is as a source of water, rather than of vitamin C that birds eat the fruit, and gardeners of this school advocate bowls of water as protection.
the probability of a person developing hypertension in later life. A careful follow-up over a long period would be necessary to determine this. (Incidentally, how much more we would know about the natural history of hypertension if systematic follow-ups had been instituted thirty years ago !) If, as has been estimated, man spends half to two-thirds of his life in the erect or semi-erect position, the effect of this on those of us with an imperfect autonomic nervous system may be considerable. Certainly the findings of Currens emphasise the importance of rest in the recumbent position in the treatment of hypertensive patients.
A YEAR’S WORK THE Lister Institute’s report for 1947-48 summarises a useful year’s work. For example, in the field of bacteriology, Mrs. E. Klieneberger-Nobel, D.sc., has devised methods for the demonstration of bacterial capsules and slime envelopes, and mucoid substances surrounding and embedding capsulated organisms. In haematology, Miss Margaret Mackay, PH.D., and Dr. W. d’A. Maycock have found that ether-extracted plasma which had caused reactions in human beings contained dangerously high concentrations of sodium citrate. Maycock has also confirmed that dextran, a plasma substitute favourably reported on in Sweden, is nonand non-antigenic ; and it is to be tried clinically. toxic POSTURE AND PRESSURE Mr. W. T. J. Morgan, D.sc., has obtained evidence IT is more than fifty years since Leonard 13 Hill demonthat the so-called 0-substance is not a product of the strated that four-legged mammals would die from 0 gene but is a primary or basic substance, heterogenetic cerebral anaemia, if kept upright for a few days. Does in character, which is present in most erythrocytes ; the development of man from quadruped to biped to it the name " H-substance" has been given. At partly explain why he is so subject to hypertension ? the same time a substance has been detected in redWald and his associates 14 showed that when the normal cell extracts which has the serological properties of a person stands up the necessary adjustment of bloodture 0-substance, a product of the 0 gene; such a pressure takes place rapidly-largely within the first substance has often been held to be absent from the minute-and it is now generally agreed that orthosurface owing to the recessive character of erythrocyte static hypotension is due to inadequate functioning of the 0 gene. In an investigation of sera from patients the sympathetic nervous system. The effect of posture with differing types of jaundice, Mr. R. A. Kekwick, on the blood-pressure, however, has not hitherto been D.SC., and Dr. C. H. Gray have discovered that a small fully investigated in a large series of normal people. but definite fraction of the bilirubin migrates with the Currens 16 has now studied this effect in 500 men and a-globulin in addition to the bulk of the bilirubin which 500 women between the ages of 18 and 55 years, their migrates with the albumin ; and the binding of the average age being 33’2 years. The blood-pressure was bilirubin by differing plasma proteins is apparently recorded in both the recumbent and the erect position, unrelated to the nature of the direct van den Bergh and all the necessary precautions appear to have been reaction. taken to ensure that the readings were comparable. The institute continues to house research units of the The upper limits of normality were set at 150/90 mm. Hg. Medical Research Council and the Ministry of Health. In this investigation diastolic hypertension, lying and The M.R.C.’s National Collection of Type Cultures, now standing, was observed in 5% of the men and 2-8% confined to cultures of medical and veterinary interest, of the women ; lying only, it was found in 0-8% of the consists of about 3000 strains of bacteria ; and about men and 0-2% of the women ; while standing only, it 200 new strains have been added during the year. The was found in 6-4% of the men and 1-8% of the women. Ministry of Health’s blood-group reference laboratory, In other words, nearly twice as many men as women in conjunction with the M.R.C.’s blood products unit had a diastolic hypertension, but when it occurred only and the National Institute for Medical Research, has in the erect position it was almost four times as common completed the first stages in the preparation of interin men as in women. Taking a change of 4 mm. Hg in national standard anti-A and anti-B grouping sera. the diastolic pressure and 10 mm. Hg in the systolic METHODS OF RAT DESTRUCTION pressure as significant, the diastolic pressure rose in IN the last seven months of 1945, 75 cases of plague 48% and fell in only 12% when the subject stood up. For the systolic pressure the findings were reversed : were diagnosed in Malta, and Barnetthas described it rose in 3-7% and fell in 33% on standing. No apprecithe methods used to eradicate the rats carrying the able change with posture was noted in the diastolic infection. The island has a population density three times that of England, and conditions are favourable for pressure in 40% of cases and in the systolic pressure in 63-5%. On standing the pulse-rate rose’in 95% of the the multiplication of rats, particularly in the towns and entire group, the average ’increase being 13-2 per min. urban districts. From June, 1945, to June, 1946, out in both men and women. of 22,902 rats examined 659 were Rattus rattus and The question arises whether these findings provide a the remainder R. norvegicus (the brown rat). Of this useful (it would certainly be a simple) test for assessing total 20 rats, including 15 R. norvegicus, were found to be infected with Pasteurella pestis. Systematic rat destruction 11. Ibid, June 18. 12. Ezell, B. D., Darrow, G. M., Wilcox, M. S., Scott, D. H. Food began at the end of August, 1945. The standard rat Res. 1947, 12, 510. poisons-zinc phosphide, red squill, arsenious oxide, 13. Hill, L. Amer. J. Physiol. 1895, 18, 15. and the more recent addition,’Antu’ (&agr;-naphthyl14. Wald, H., Guernsey, M., Scott, F. H. Amer. Heart J., 1937,
Department
14, 319. 15. Currens, J. H.
Ibid, 1948, 35, 646.
1. Barnett, S. A.
J. Hyg., Camb.
1948, 46, 10.
public service the best which is humanly possible under present circumstances," Dr. Dain11 adds, with a
new
sincerity
that
none
will wish to
betray :
"
The individual citizen will be free to decide whether he will take advantage of the public service in whole or in part. But this will not mean that there will be two qualities of medical service rendered to the public. Only the best is good enough for the public service, and we shall do our utmost to provide it."
STRAWBERRIES AS FOOD THE strawberry, now in full picking season, consists almost entirely of water (88-9%), sugar (6-2%), and unavailable carbohydrate (2.2%), but it is a good, though variable, source of vitamin C. Investigation by the U.S. of Agriculture 12 last year showed that the ascorbic-acid content averaged about 60 mg. per 100 g., though for some varieties the figure was 75-80 mg. An average helping (a quarter of a pound) would therefore fulfil the daily requirements of an adult. Strawberries grown in the shade contained less vitamin C than those exposed to normal sunlight, and ripening on the plant produced the best content. Some say that it is as a source of water, rather than of vitamin C that birds eat the fruit, and gardeners of this school advocate bowls of water as protection.
the probability of a person developing hypertension in later life. A careful follow-up over a long period would be necessary to determine this. (Incidentally, how much more we would know about the natural history of hypertension if systematic follow-ups had been instituted thirty years ago !) If, as has been estimated, man spends half to two-thirds of his life in the erect or semi-erect position, the effect of this on those of us with an imperfect autonomic nervous system may be considerable. Certainly the findings of Currens emphasise the importance of rest in the recumbent position in the treatment of hypertensive patients.
A YEAR’S WORK THE Lister Institute’s report for 1947-48 summarises a useful year’s work. For example, in the field of bacteriology, Mrs. E. Klieneberger-Nobel, D.sc., has devised methods for the demonstration of bacterial capsules and slime envelopes, and mucoid substances surrounding and embedding capsulated organisms. In haematology, Miss Margaret Mackay, PH.D., and Dr. W. d’A. Maycock have found that ether-extracted plasma which had caused reactions in human beings contained dangerously high concentrations of sodium citrate. Maycock has also confirmed that dextran, a plasma substitute favourably reported on in Sweden, is nonand non-antigenic ; and it is to be tried clinically. toxic POSTURE AND PRESSURE Mr. W. T. J. Morgan, D.sc., has obtained evidence IT is more than fifty years since Leonard 13 Hill demonthat the so-called 0-substance is not a product of the strated that four-legged mammals would die from 0 gene but is a primary or basic substance, heterogenetic cerebral anaemia, if kept upright for a few days. Does in character, which is present in most erythrocytes ; the development of man from quadruped to biped to it the name " H-substance" has been given. At partly explain why he is so subject to hypertension ? the same time a substance has been detected in redWald and his associates 14 showed that when the normal cell extracts which has the serological properties of a person stands up the necessary adjustment of bloodture 0-substance, a product of the 0 gene; such a pressure takes place rapidly-largely within the first substance has often been held to be absent from the minute-and it is now generally agreed that orthosurface owing to the recessive character of erythrocyte static hypotension is due to inadequate functioning of the 0 gene. In an investigation of sera from patients the sympathetic nervous system. The effect of posture with differing types of jaundice, Mr. R. A. Kekwick, on the blood-pressure, however, has not hitherto been D.SC., and Dr. C. H. Gray have discovered that a small fully investigated in a large series of normal people. but definite fraction of the bilirubin migrates with the Currens 16 has now studied this effect in 500 men and a-globulin in addition to the bulk of the bilirubin which 500 women between the ages of 18 and 55 years, their migrates with the albumin ; and the binding of the average age being 33’2 years. The blood-pressure was bilirubin by differing plasma proteins is apparently recorded in both the recumbent and the erect position, unrelated to the nature of the direct van den Bergh and all the necessary precautions appear to have been reaction. taken to ensure that the readings were comparable. The institute continues to house research units of the The upper limits of normality were set at 150/90 mm. Hg. Medical Research Council and the Ministry of Health. In this investigation diastolic hypertension, lying and The M.R.C.’s National Collection of Type Cultures, now standing, was observed in 5% of the men and 2-8% confined to cultures of medical and veterinary interest, of the women ; lying only, it was found in 0-8% of the consists of about 3000 strains of bacteria ; and about men and 0-2% of the women ; while standing only, it 200 new strains have been added during the year. The was found in 6-4% of the men and 1-8% of the women. Ministry of Health’s blood-group reference laboratory, In other words, nearly twice as many men as women in conjunction with the M.R.C.’s blood products unit had a diastolic hypertension, but when it occurred only and the National Institute for Medical Research, has in the erect position it was almost four times as common completed the first stages in the preparation of interin men as in women. Taking a change of 4 mm. Hg in national standard anti-A and anti-B grouping sera. the diastolic pressure and 10 mm. Hg in the systolic METHODS OF RAT DESTRUCTION pressure as significant, the diastolic pressure rose in IN the last seven months of 1945, 75 cases of plague 48% and fell in only 12% when the subject stood up. For the systolic pressure the findings were reversed : were diagnosed in Malta, and Barnetthas described it rose in 3-7% and fell in 33% on standing. No apprecithe methods used to eradicate the rats carrying the able change with posture was noted in the diastolic infection. The island has a population density three times that of England, and conditions are favourable for pressure in 40% of cases and in the systolic pressure in 63-5%. On standing the pulse-rate rose’in 95% of the the multiplication of rats, particularly in the towns and entire group, the average ’increase being 13-2 per min. urban districts. From June, 1945, to June, 1946, out in both men and women. of 22,902 rats examined 659 were Rattus rattus and The question arises whether these findings provide a the remainder R. norvegicus (the brown rat). Of this useful (it would certainly be a simple) test for assessing total 20 rats, including 15 R. norvegicus, were found to be infected with Pasteurella pestis. Systematic rat destruction 11. Ibid, June 18. 12. Ezell, B. D., Darrow, G. M., Wilcox, M. S., Scott, D. H. Food began at the end of August, 1945. The standard rat Res. 1947, 12, 510. poisons-zinc phosphide, red squill, arsenious oxide, 13. Hill, L. Amer. J. Physiol. 1895, 18, 15. and the more recent addition,’Antu’ (&agr;-naphthyl14. Wald, H., Guernsey, M., Scott, F. H. Amer. Heart J., 1937,
Department
14, 319. 15. Currens, J. H.
Ibid, 1948, 35, 646.
1. Barnett, S. A.
J. Hyg., Camb.
1948, 46, 10.