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FILMS ON MENTAL-HEALTH SUBJECTS
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develop proteinuria; (3) that no woman suffers any permanent damage from pregnancy HP; (4) that there is no reason to suppose that H occurring during pregnancy in this country differs in any respect from that occurring in a stockbroker, but that it is merely manifested prematurely and is complicated by the metabolic and mechanical strains of pregnancy 20; (5) that babies can be saved (a) by the earliest possible detection and treat-
Committee, whose report should shortly appear and may be expected to give its final blessing. It is to be hoped that those responsible for first-aid instruction will discard worn-out shibboleths and develop modern techniques to match the new accident and emer-
of undesired changes in antenatal measurements, and (b) by the routine induction of labour at T-2 weeks in all hypertensive women; (6) that nutrition is the key to the whole problem although in this country imperfect nutrition is more likely to be due to eating too much rather than too little, or to eating the wrong things, while those in group B have too small a pipeline adequately to nourish either placenta or faetus 14 17 18; and finally (7) that rest, and plenty of it, is the most important single treatment once undesired changes have occurred. G. W. THEOBALD.
SIR,-Your leader of June 23 prompts me to inquire whether the time is not overdue for the statutory fee of 12s. 6d. payable under the Road Traffic Act of 1934 to be revised. Nearly everything else costs several times what it did in 1934, and since most of these fees are claimed by State hospitals an increase ought to have Treasury support. London, S.W.13. JOHN E. H. STRETTON.
ment
gency services. London, W.1.
LIPMANN KESSEL.
IRRITANT PROPERTIES OF WESCODYNE
SIR,-The letter from Dr. Rosalinde Hurley (June 16) interesting, and we are grateful to her for raising this question. Although we very much regret the unpleasant effects on the operator, it is important that the correct conclusions was most
FILMS ON MENTAL-HEALTH SUBJECTS SIR,-Dr. Paterson (June 16) welcomes the news that evaluations of psychiatric films are to be published. He and other readers may not know of the S.F.A. Catalogue of Films on Psychology and Psychiatry, a new and revised edition of which was published in September, 1960, by the Scientific Film Association in collaboration with the University of London Institute of Education. The catalogue contains details of over 200 films available in Great Britain. In addition to the address from which each film may be obtained, there is a summary of content and an appraisal prepared (in the case of the films on psychiatric subjects) by a panel convened in association with the film subcommittee of the education committee of the Royal Medico-
Psychological Association. From the information thus collected the National Association for Mental Health can determine what subjects are inadequately covered by film and suggest ways of getting new films made to fill these gaps. It is for this purpose that the advisory board on mental-health films was proposed at the meeting on May 23, reported in your issue of June 2 (p. 1194), and at which the Scientific Film Association was represented. Copies of the Catalogue of Films on Psychology and Psychiatry may be obtained from the Association at 55a, Welbeck Street,
London, W.1, price 6s. Scientific Film Association,
London,
W.1.
MICHAEL ESSEX-LOPRESTI Chairman, Medical Film Appraisal Panel.
SURGERY OF ROAD ACCIDENTS SIR,-The answer to some of your editorial questions (June 23, p. 1337) as far as first-aid splints are concerned will be found on inspection of the suitcase of any orthopedic surgeon who is going off to ski. You will find no splints, but a few rolls of plaster wool and some crepe
bandages. I mention this because I believe that your leader, though timely and written with scintillating style and punch, has missed the main point-which is that the time has come for a radical change in our methods of teaching first-aid. First-aid pamphlets, lectures, and textbooks remain filled with ancient myth, overburdened with digested fragments of anatomy ", infinite stylistic variations of bandaging, &c. It is now reasonable to assume that the public, profession, and Government are generally convinced of the "
need for
radical reform of our accident and emergency services. The Clarke (Osmond) Committee, by uniting the profession, has paved the way for the Platt (Sir Harry) a
should be drawn. Our instructions relating to the preparation ofWescodyne ’ clearly state that cold or lukewarm water should be used for its dilution. Dr. Hurley reports that the water was lukewarm, although it was obtained from the hot tap, and she also states that vapour was rising from its surface. By definition, lukewarm means tepid, and one would suppose that anything above blood heati.e., 37°C-would be regarded as warm. On the assumption that the upper limit of " lukewarmness " is 40°C, the following tests were performed in our laboratories: ’ Wescodyne Surgical ’, at a dilution of 1/160, containing 150 parts per million of available iodine, was heated to 40°C in an open flask. The flask was warm to the touch, but there was no evidence of vapour rising from the surface of the liquid. 6 starch-paper indicators, each partially immersed in a starch solution, were distributed around the laboratory at distances ranging from two to seven yards from the iodine source. In addition, 2 containers partly filled with the same solution, at room-temperature (25 °C) were left open on the bench. All doors and windows were closed and the laboratory was left undisturbed for a period of sixteen hours, during which time the solution was maintained at 40°C. At the end of the period an examination was made, with the following results: (1) No odour of iodine was detectable on entering the
laboratory. (2) None
of the starch papers showed any trace of iodine
stain. a
(3) On analysis, the solution which had been heated showed loss of some 20 parts per million available iodine. (4) An operator, present in the laboratory for one hour while
was continued, reported no visual disturbances. After this, further tests were performed with solutions diluted to 1/160 and 1/20 (the latter containing 1200 p.p.m. available iodine), heated to 50°C and 75°C, and allowed to cool. At these temperatures, although the presence of free iodine could be detected in the vapour rising from the solutions, starch paper showed no reactions at a distance of one foot from the container. The same operator was present in the laboratory during the whole series of these tests, and no ill effects were noticed. The loss of 20 p.p.m. available iodine in the 1/160 solution at 40°C may be regarded as unduly high, because the solution was not allowed to cool naturally to room-temperature as would normally be the case with solutions made up for laboratory use.
heating
Therefore it seems unlikely that any significant amount of iodine vapour will be liberated from wescodyne surgical at this dilution in normal use, provided that the water is no more than lukewarm.
develop proteinuria; (3) that no woman suffers any permanent damage from pregnancy HP; (4) that there is no reason to suppose that H occurring during pregnancy in this country differs in any respect from that occurring in a stockbroker, but that it is merely manifested prematurely and is complicated by the metabolic and mechanical strains of pregnancy 20; (5) that babies can be saved (a) by the earliest possible detection and treat-
Committee, whose report should shortly appear and may be expected to give its final blessing. It is to be hoped that those responsible for first-aid instruction will discard worn-out shibboleths and develop modern techniques to match the new accident and emer-
of undesired changes in antenatal measurements, and (b) by the routine induction of labour at T-2 weeks in all hypertensive women; (6) that nutrition is the key to the whole problem although in this country imperfect nutrition is more likely to be due to eating too much rather than too little, or to eating the wrong things, while those in group B have too small a pipeline adequately to nourish either placenta or faetus 14 17 18; and finally (7) that rest, and plenty of it, is the most important single treatment once undesired changes have occurred. G. W. THEOBALD.
SIR,-Your leader of June 23 prompts me to inquire whether the time is not overdue for the statutory fee of 12s. 6d. payable under the Road Traffic Act of 1934 to be revised. Nearly everything else costs several times what it did in 1934, and since most of these fees are claimed by State hospitals an increase ought to have Treasury support. London, S.W.13. JOHN E. H. STRETTON.
ment
gency services. London, W.1.
LIPMANN KESSEL.
IRRITANT PROPERTIES OF WESCODYNE
SIR,-The letter from Dr. Rosalinde Hurley (June 16) interesting, and we are grateful to her for raising this question. Although we very much regret the unpleasant effects on the operator, it is important that the correct conclusions was most
FILMS ON MENTAL-HEALTH SUBJECTS SIR,-Dr. Paterson (June 16) welcomes the news that evaluations of psychiatric films are to be published. He and other readers may not know of the S.F.A. Catalogue of Films on Psychology and Psychiatry, a new and revised edition of which was published in September, 1960, by the Scientific Film Association in collaboration with the University of London Institute of Education. The catalogue contains details of over 200 films available in Great Britain. In addition to the address from which each film may be obtained, there is a summary of content and an appraisal prepared (in the case of the films on psychiatric subjects) by a panel convened in association with the film subcommittee of the education committee of the Royal Medico-
Psychological Association. From the information thus collected the National Association for Mental Health can determine what subjects are inadequately covered by film and suggest ways of getting new films made to fill these gaps. It is for this purpose that the advisory board on mental-health films was proposed at the meeting on May 23, reported in your issue of June 2 (p. 1194), and at which the Scientific Film Association was represented. Copies of the Catalogue of Films on Psychology and Psychiatry may be obtained from the Association at 55a, Welbeck Street,
London, W.1, price 6s. Scientific Film Association,
London,
W.1.
MICHAEL ESSEX-LOPRESTI Chairman, Medical Film Appraisal Panel.
SURGERY OF ROAD ACCIDENTS SIR,-The answer to some of your editorial questions (June 23, p. 1337) as far as first-aid splints are concerned will be found on inspection of the suitcase of any orthopedic surgeon who is going off to ski. You will find no splints, but a few rolls of plaster wool and some crepe
bandages. I mention this because I believe that your leader, though timely and written with scintillating style and punch, has missed the main point-which is that the time has come for a radical change in our methods of teaching first-aid. First-aid pamphlets, lectures, and textbooks remain filled with ancient myth, overburdened with digested fragments of anatomy ", infinite stylistic variations of bandaging, &c. It is now reasonable to assume that the public, profession, and Government are generally convinced of the "
need for
radical reform of our accident and emergency services. The Clarke (Osmond) Committee, by uniting the profession, has paved the way for the Platt (Sir Harry) a
should be drawn. Our instructions relating to the preparation ofWescodyne ’ clearly state that cold or lukewarm water should be used for its dilution. Dr. Hurley reports that the water was lukewarm, although it was obtained from the hot tap, and she also states that vapour was rising from its surface. By definition, lukewarm means tepid, and one would suppose that anything above blood heati.e., 37°C-would be regarded as warm. On the assumption that the upper limit of " lukewarmness " is 40°C, the following tests were performed in our laboratories: ’ Wescodyne Surgical ’, at a dilution of 1/160, containing 150 parts per million of available iodine, was heated to 40°C in an open flask. The flask was warm to the touch, but there was no evidence of vapour rising from the surface of the liquid. 6 starch-paper indicators, each partially immersed in a starch solution, were distributed around the laboratory at distances ranging from two to seven yards from the iodine source. In addition, 2 containers partly filled with the same solution, at room-temperature (25 °C) were left open on the bench. All doors and windows were closed and the laboratory was left undisturbed for a period of sixteen hours, during which time the solution was maintained at 40°C. At the end of the period an examination was made, with the following results: (1) No odour of iodine was detectable on entering the
laboratory. (2) None
of the starch papers showed any trace of iodine
stain. a
(3) On analysis, the solution which had been heated showed loss of some 20 parts per million available iodine. (4) An operator, present in the laboratory for one hour while
was continued, reported no visual disturbances. After this, further tests were performed with solutions diluted to 1/160 and 1/20 (the latter containing 1200 p.p.m. available iodine), heated to 50°C and 75°C, and allowed to cool. At these temperatures, although the presence of free iodine could be detected in the vapour rising from the solutions, starch paper showed no reactions at a distance of one foot from the container. The same operator was present in the laboratory during the whole series of these tests, and no ill effects were noticed. The loss of 20 p.p.m. available iodine in the 1/160 solution at 40°C may be regarded as unduly high, because the solution was not allowed to cool naturally to room-temperature as would normally be the case with solutions made up for laboratory use.
heating
Therefore it seems unlikely that any significant amount of iodine vapour will be liberated from wescodyne surgical at this dilution in normal use, provided that the water is no more than lukewarm.