Bilharziasis

Volume Vumh.-r

79 4

Selected

induced leukemia in mice, are presented. Dr. Furth’s paper, “Radiation Neoplasia and Endorrine Systems,” is included by the editors under this heading, although it appears as the first paper in the book. Dr. Furth stresses the importance of both irreversible hereditary alterations in cells and indirect hormonal effects as the most powerful factors in the induction of ncoplasia by radiation. 6. Radiation biology and cancer. Six contributions, the most noteworthy being W. J. Schull’s excellent discussion of the genetic risks to man-

abstracts

827

kind accruing from increasing exposure to ionizing energies are included. 7. Medical applications of radiation. Four presentations are included. The clinical aspects are briefly discussed. An analysis of radioactive gold therapy in malignant effusions is included as well as Dr. Fletcher’s presentation of results obtained with supervoltage therapy of carcinomas of the oropharynx, uterine cervix, and urinary bladder. The inclusion of this purely clinical material is somewhat at variance with the general tenor of the work.

Books received for review Human Biochemical Genetics. By H. Harris, 310 pages, 69 figures, 50 tables. New York, 1959, Cambridge University Press. $7.00. Introduction to Colposcopy. By Karl A. Bolten (cooperating in “Pathology,” William E. Jaques). 76 pages, 53 figures. New York, 1960, Grune & Stratton, Inc. $7.75. L’An&e endocriuologique-on&+me an&e. By M. albeaux-Fernet, L. Bellot, P. Breant, P. Bugard, J. Chabot, J. Deribreaux, M. GClinet and J.-D. Romani. 212 pages. Paris, 1959, h4asson et Cie. $2,100 fr. Lehrbuch der Gynlkologie fur Studiuxn und Praxis. By Robert Schroder. 506 pages, 464

figures. Leipzig, 1959, Veb Georg Thieme. DM 48. The Placenta and Fetal Membranes. Edited by Claude A. Villee. 404 pages, 87 figures. Baltimore, 1960, Williams & Wilkins Company. $10.00. Stress and Cellular Function. By H. Laborit (in collaboration with M. Cara, D. Jouasset, C. Duchesne, and G. Laborit). 255 pages, 61 figures. Philadelphia, 1959, J. B. Lippincott. Treatment of Cancer in Clinical Practice. By Peter B. Kunkler and Anthony J. H. Rains. 821 pages, 40 figures, 37 tables. Baltimore, 1959, Williams & Wilkins Company. $19.00.

Selected abstracts Gazette

of

Egyptian

Gynaecology

and

Society

of

Obstetrics

,luly, 1959. “Shafeek, M. Alaedine: Bilharziasis: A New Etiologic Factor in Female Genital Leukoplakia, p. 63. Shafeek: Bilharziasis, p. 63. The author tries to establish bilharziasis as an etiological factor in female genital leukoplakia. He does this on the basis of their occurring together more frequently than would be expected by chance. Hc gives a short rCsumt of the literature on

*This

article

has

been

abstracted.

leukoplakia and states that it is a histologic diagnosis. The article is illustrated with photomicrographs showing leukoplakia of the vulva, vagina, and cervix with bilharzia hematobium ova in the subepithelial tissues. From 1955 to 1957 the author reviewed the pathology of female genital bilharziasis in the Pathological Laboratories of the Ministry of Public Health, Cairo. He found that, in 30 microscopically verified cases of bilharziasis of the vulva, leukoplakia was present in 26.5 per cent; in 28 cases of the vagina, it was present in 25 per cent and in 36 cases of the cervix, 16.5 per cent. He proposes that the following factors may be causative in the pathogenesis of bilharzial

828

Selected

abstracts

leukoplakia: mechanical irritation 1~)~ the dcposited ova, chemical irritation hy the miracidia in the ova, fihrnsis of the subepithelial tissues. and interfercncc with the I~loocl supply and l~chcmia of the affected tisstlc>s A!: a rrsult elf endometritis ohlitcrnn~. It is his impression that t.ir( umcision (11 ft.males, common in Egypt, ih probably not a causative factor in simple Iclikoplakia. Hc also states that the associatiotl of l)ilharziasi\ Ivittr carcinoma is rarr.

Louis .4. (T’cntili, Hamdard Medical Digest I’ol. 3, April-May, 1.059. Spcxial

Issue:

History

of Eastern

Journal of the American Association T’ol. 170. Aug. 15, l.y59. “Hodgson, “Jennings,

J. Ii.:

Accurate

Medicine,

p. 1.

Medical

Prc,gnancy

Testing

Tranquilized Patients, p. 1890. E. R., Dale, YE.. Nelson, Brines, O., and Wilson, G.: Cytology -The “False-Pocitive”

in

I-I. M., Uterine Report,

p. 1896. “Fahrner,

R.

J.,

McQueency,

.i.

J.,

Mosely,

J.

M., and Petersen, R. W.: Trophoblastic Pulmonary Thrombosis LVith Cor Pulmonalc. p. 1898. Hodgson: Accurate Pregnancy Testing in Tranquilized Patients, p. 1890. The reported oc’currenc-e of false-positive results of pregnancy tests in patieuts taking certain tranquilizers has varied from 1.3 ttr 75 per cent. The test in question inrrrlxxd rhe intra-abdominal injection of a urine coilcrntrate from the patipnt into malr frogs; (hr. production elf spermatozoa constituted a positi\.<% result. The author obtained st~rum from 50 hospitalized psychiatric. patients, both malt and female, who were takirlg varying dosages of promazinc (Sparinc 11, perplirnazine (Trilafon jj chlorpromazine> ‘Thorazinch:, and prochlorpcrazinc ‘Cnmpazine i. Tests tvert: performed with IZ(Lnu pipiens frogs weighing frorii 25 to 50 grams. ‘Two frctgs \verc uscsd for each of the 50 tests. Injections of the strum \vith hyaluronidas~~ were given intrapc!ritoneall!-. ‘I’he criterion for LL positive reaction was a Iow-po\vt:r field with the presence of even one or tw 0 spcrmatoLo3. III the 50 q;rrum trsts performed there were no strongly positive responrcs. In 1: of the 50 teats weak spermaturicrcspunse< lv(xrc noted with