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EVIPAN AND ASTHMA
1300 of air and dangerous in concentrations of 1 in a thousand. It is moreover very volatile, boiling at 46° C., and yielding a vapour which will fire at 125-135° C.-not very much above the boiling point of water. The flash point of the liquid is below minus 20° C. Most chemists who have used carbon bisulphide as a laboratory solvent have experience of the readiness with which it will ignite when only ordinary precautions are taken, and of the choking smell of the sulphur dioxide produced when it burns. A liquid which easily yields a highly poisonous and inflammable vapour and a poisonous product of combustion is, clearly, a source of danger to those who use it, and compulsory notification of carbon bisulphide poisoning in accordance with the order of the Secretary of State of Dec. 31st, 1924, is obviously a
wise
precaution. EVIPAN AND ASTHMA
SINCE
evipan
is at the
present time finding great
favour, particularly for use on patients whose respiratory mechanism is at fault, its effect in a case reported in the -MM’H. medizin. Wochenschrift of Feb. 16th (p. 257) is noteworthy. The patient was a woman of 39, a subject of pulmonary tuberculosis and of asthma, on whom it was desired to perform a short
gynaecological operation. Evipan in a 3 c.cm. dose was injected over a period of six minutes-i.e., at a rate slower than usual. The respiration came to a standstill and it was only after intravenous injection of 10
coramine and the performance of artificial was restarted after some minutes. That the author, Dr. P. Feldweg, regards this experience as a warning against the use of evipan on asthmatic subjects is made clear in the significant title of his article, " Bei Asthma kein Evipan " ! c.cm.
respiration
that it
CONFERENCE ON VITAMIN STANDARDISATION
vitamin AN conference on international standardisation is being held this week at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, under the auspices of the Permanent Commission on Biological Standardisation of the Health Organisation of the League of Nations. The following are taking part in the Conference, over which Prof. E. Mellanby is presiding : Prof. J. C. Drummond (University College, London); Prof. H. V. Euler (Stockholm) ; Prof. L. S. Fridericia (Copenhagen); Prof. B. C. P. Jansen (Amsterdam) ; Prof. P. di Mattei (Pavia) ; Prof. E. M. Nelson (Washington, D.C.); Prof. E. Poulsson (Oslo) ; Madame L. Randoin (Paris); Prof. H. Steenbock (Wisconsin); Prof. A. Szent-Gyorgyi (Szeged) ; with Dr. W. R. Aykroyd (League of Nations, Geneva) and Miss H. Chick, D.Sc., Technical Secretaries. The following are attending the Conference as observers : Dr. M. H. Brown (Connaught Laboratories, University of Toronto); Miss K. H. Coward, D.Sc. (Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain); Mr. P. Hartley, D.Sc. (National Institute for Medical Research); Dr. Lormand (Laboratoire National de Controle des Medicaments, Paris) ; Dr. Mendez (Instituto Tecnico de Farmacobiologie, Madrid); Dr. M. Tsurumi (Japanese Delegate to the Health Committee of the League of Nations); Dr. A. Jung (University of Bale). This Conference is the second of its kind. The first Conference, held in 1931, established standards and units for vitamins A, B, C, and D, which have since been widely used in many countries throughout the world. Although the standards originally recommended have on the whole worked well, the rapid advance of scientific
work in this field has made it necessary to review the findings of the first conference in the light of recently acquired knowledge. Several vitamins are now available in a relatively pure state, and it is probable that the present conference will recommend the replacement of the standards chosen in 1931 by purer preparations than were available at that date, especially in the case of vitamins C and D. ADRENAL DENERVATION
Dr. Crile is now able to summariseno less than 308 cases in which denervation of one or both of the suprarenal glands has been carried out. He finds that the unilateral operation, performed in 52 cases, is followed by no ill-effects but is less effective than the bilateral ; the latter, however, is occasionally followed by attacks of vomiting and diarrhcea. His 308 cases include 76 of neurocirculatory asthenia (hyperadrenalism), 79 of hyperthyroidism, 37 of peptic ulcer, 40 of epilepsy (in some of which adrenalectomy was done), and a few of diabetes. The clinical results are stated to be good. Of the patients with neurocirculatory asthenia, 87 per cent. were cured and 7 per cent. improved. Of those with hyperthyroidism, 95 per cent. were cured. The treatment advocated for the majority of thyrotoxic patients is thyroidectomy, adrenal denervation being reserved for those with residual or recurrent hyperthyroidism. In the cases of peptic ulceration, it is stated, cure followed in 93 per cent. and improvement in 7 per cent., and Crile does not hesitate to recommend the operation when the customary medical and surgical treatment has failed. Of the epileptic patients, 33 per cent. are described as improved or cured. Adrenal denervation is held to be contraindicated in established cases of hyper. tension, and has proved useless in Raynaud’s disease and scleroderma. The series included two deaths, both due to serious injury to the adrenal glands.
AFTER discussing many aspects of medical education on page 1306) the General Medical Council appointed a Curriculum Committee with the following membership : Dr. H. L. Tidy (chairman); Prof J. B. Leathes ; Prof. J. S. B. Stopford ; Sir George Newman ; Dr. H. G. Dain ; Prof. L. P. Gamgee ; Prof. R. J. Johnstone ; and the president ex officio. This committee is to consider information and proposals received by the Council with respect to the revision of the curriculum, and to report to the Council.
(see report
THE Albert medal of the Royal Society of Arts for 1934 has been awarded to Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins, president since 1930 of the Royal Society, "for his researches in biochemistry and the constituents of food." This medal was instituted in 1862 as a memorial to the Prince Consort, sometime president of the Society, and is awarded annually for distinguished merit in promoting arts, manu.
factures,
or commerce.
1 Crile, G.: Amer. Jour. Surg., May, 1934,
A
DISCUSSION on
p. 378.
the Nature of Sex and its Socio-
and Legal Implications will take place in the section of obstetrics and gynaecology of the Royal Society of Medicine on Friday, July 6th, at 8.15 P.M., and the members of the Medico-Legal Society have been invited to take part. Sir Bernard Spilsbury, president of the Medico-Legal Society, and Lord Riddell will, it is hoped, join in the discussion.
logical
wise
precaution. EVIPAN AND ASTHMA
SINCE
evipan
is at the
present time finding great
favour, particularly for use on patients whose respiratory mechanism is at fault, its effect in a case reported in the -MM’H. medizin. Wochenschrift of Feb. 16th (p. 257) is noteworthy. The patient was a woman of 39, a subject of pulmonary tuberculosis and of asthma, on whom it was desired to perform a short
gynaecological operation. Evipan in a 3 c.cm. dose was injected over a period of six minutes-i.e., at a rate slower than usual. The respiration came to a standstill and it was only after intravenous injection of 10
coramine and the performance of artificial was restarted after some minutes. That the author, Dr. P. Feldweg, regards this experience as a warning against the use of evipan on asthmatic subjects is made clear in the significant title of his article, " Bei Asthma kein Evipan " ! c.cm.
respiration
that it
CONFERENCE ON VITAMIN STANDARDISATION
vitamin AN conference on international standardisation is being held this week at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, under the auspices of the Permanent Commission on Biological Standardisation of the Health Organisation of the League of Nations. The following are taking part in the Conference, over which Prof. E. Mellanby is presiding : Prof. J. C. Drummond (University College, London); Prof. H. V. Euler (Stockholm) ; Prof. L. S. Fridericia (Copenhagen); Prof. B. C. P. Jansen (Amsterdam) ; Prof. P. di Mattei (Pavia) ; Prof. E. M. Nelson (Washington, D.C.); Prof. E. Poulsson (Oslo) ; Madame L. Randoin (Paris); Prof. H. Steenbock (Wisconsin); Prof. A. Szent-Gyorgyi (Szeged) ; with Dr. W. R. Aykroyd (League of Nations, Geneva) and Miss H. Chick, D.Sc., Technical Secretaries. The following are attending the Conference as observers : Dr. M. H. Brown (Connaught Laboratories, University of Toronto); Miss K. H. Coward, D.Sc. (Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain); Mr. P. Hartley, D.Sc. (National Institute for Medical Research); Dr. Lormand (Laboratoire National de Controle des Medicaments, Paris) ; Dr. Mendez (Instituto Tecnico de Farmacobiologie, Madrid); Dr. M. Tsurumi (Japanese Delegate to the Health Committee of the League of Nations); Dr. A. Jung (University of Bale). This Conference is the second of its kind. The first Conference, held in 1931, established standards and units for vitamins A, B, C, and D, which have since been widely used in many countries throughout the world. Although the standards originally recommended have on the whole worked well, the rapid advance of scientific
work in this field has made it necessary to review the findings of the first conference in the light of recently acquired knowledge. Several vitamins are now available in a relatively pure state, and it is probable that the present conference will recommend the replacement of the standards chosen in 1931 by purer preparations than were available at that date, especially in the case of vitamins C and D. ADRENAL DENERVATION
Dr. Crile is now able to summariseno less than 308 cases in which denervation of one or both of the suprarenal glands has been carried out. He finds that the unilateral operation, performed in 52 cases, is followed by no ill-effects but is less effective than the bilateral ; the latter, however, is occasionally followed by attacks of vomiting and diarrhcea. His 308 cases include 76 of neurocirculatory asthenia (hyperadrenalism), 79 of hyperthyroidism, 37 of peptic ulcer, 40 of epilepsy (in some of which adrenalectomy was done), and a few of diabetes. The clinical results are stated to be good. Of the patients with neurocirculatory asthenia, 87 per cent. were cured and 7 per cent. improved. Of those with hyperthyroidism, 95 per cent. were cured. The treatment advocated for the majority of thyrotoxic patients is thyroidectomy, adrenal denervation being reserved for those with residual or recurrent hyperthyroidism. In the cases of peptic ulceration, it is stated, cure followed in 93 per cent. and improvement in 7 per cent., and Crile does not hesitate to recommend the operation when the customary medical and surgical treatment has failed. Of the epileptic patients, 33 per cent. are described as improved or cured. Adrenal denervation is held to be contraindicated in established cases of hyper. tension, and has proved useless in Raynaud’s disease and scleroderma. The series included two deaths, both due to serious injury to the adrenal glands.
AFTER discussing many aspects of medical education on page 1306) the General Medical Council appointed a Curriculum Committee with the following membership : Dr. H. L. Tidy (chairman); Prof J. B. Leathes ; Prof. J. S. B. Stopford ; Sir George Newman ; Dr. H. G. Dain ; Prof. L. P. Gamgee ; Prof. R. J. Johnstone ; and the president ex officio. This committee is to consider information and proposals received by the Council with respect to the revision of the curriculum, and to report to the Council.
(see report
THE Albert medal of the Royal Society of Arts for 1934 has been awarded to Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins, president since 1930 of the Royal Society, "for his researches in biochemistry and the constituents of food." This medal was instituted in 1862 as a memorial to the Prince Consort, sometime president of the Society, and is awarded annually for distinguished merit in promoting arts, manu.
factures,
or commerce.
1 Crile, G.: Amer. Jour. Surg., May, 1934,
A
DISCUSSION on
p. 378.
the Nature of Sex and its Socio-
and Legal Implications will take place in the section of obstetrics and gynaecology of the Royal Society of Medicine on Friday, July 6th, at 8.15 P.M., and the members of the Medico-Legal Society have been invited to take part. Sir Bernard Spilsbury, president of the Medico-Legal Society, and Lord Riddell will, it is hoped, join in the discussion.
logical