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Items of interest
journal
of Biologic&
Standardization
1975 3, 331-332
Items of interest W.H.O. NINTH
EXPERT REPORT,
COMMITTEE
ON TUBERCULOSIS,
Wld Hlth Org. techn. Rep. Ser., 552, 1974. The Expert Committee on Tuberculosis was asked to review the recommendations that they had made at the committee held in 1964, to make recommendations that would be of assistance to country health programmes in the field of tuberculosis control, to propose ways in which physicians and other health workers could be motivated and educated for the future in connection with tuberculosis problems and to indicate areas of research to which priority should be given. The committee addressed themselves fully to each of these tasks and their report is most informative. As tuberculosis remains a major health problem in all the developing countries the report will be of value to all such countries. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION VOL. 50, NO. 1-2, pp. 1-142, 1974
BULLETIN,
This edition of the Bulletin has been devoted entirely to the International Histological Classification of Tumours of Domestic Animals. In 1966, the W.H.O. convened a meeting of investigators on comparative oncology, at which the participants agreed to start work on developing an international histological classification of tumours of domestic animals in parallel with the classification of human tumours being developed by the W.H.O. When classification of a tumour was agreed upon a set of representative diapositives and sections are prepared and deposited at the International Reference Centre for Comparative Oncology (I.R.C.C.O.) in America. These diapositives may be borrowed by pathologists of standing on application to I.R.C.C.O. This special issue of the bulletin contains classification of tumours of 10 body sites and work is proceeding on the classification of tumours of a further 11 sites. This edition of the bulletin will prove extremely valuable to those involved in the pathology of tumours occurring in animals. W.H.O.
CHRONICLE,
VOL.
29, NO.
1, JANUARY
1975
This number is devoted entirely to developments of health care in various regions of the world. Although not specifically involved in standardization of biological substances there is nevertheless much interesting reading concerning the organization of health programmes in various countries. W.H.O.
CHRONICLE,
VOL.
29, NO. 2, FEBRUARY
1975
The most relevant articles in this number for our members are those referring to infections and poisoning of man caused by eating fish. It is of interest, for example, to learn that in 331
ITEMS
OF
INTEREST
Japan the consumption of fish or shellfish contaminated with vibrio haemolyticus is responsible for more than half of all the cases of food-borne disease. The monitoring of sea food for the presence of potentially dangerous substances is therefore an essential public health measure. W.H.O.
CHRONICLE,
VOL.
29, NO.
3, MARCH
1975
This number is devoted predominantly to the use and reactions to drugs. Greater attention is being paid to the risks of using drugs and although the benefits of drugs far exceed the risks it is nevertheless estimated that 5% of beds in general hospitals are occupied by patients suffering from the effects of efforts made to treat their illnesses. The excessive use of alcohol and the associated mortality have risen sharply in recent years and in one country the treatment of illnesses due to alcohol use accounts for over 40% of the total expenditure on health services. In North America alcohol has been shown to be a significant factor in approximately 50% of the deaths due to automobile accidents. W.H.O.
CHRONICLE,
VOL.
29, NO.
4, APRIL
1975
This number deals with the important topic of genetic risks from medical radiation. This subject has been discussed by many communities and it is interesting to read the article by Dr Seelentag. It is suggested that slight differences in the collimation of the radiation beam could alter the genetically significant dose to the patient by a factor of 100 or more. It is comforting to read that by June 1975 smallpox may have been eradicated from Asia, and furthermore the transmission of smallpox in Ethiopia (believed to be the only African country where the disease in still endemic) could also be interrupted by the middle of the year. A commentary on the deaths due to infectious diseases is worth noting. In 1972 only 0+3% of deaths in North America were from infectious and parasitic diseases compared In Latin America the with 21.3% in Middle America and 15.2% in South America. whole 36% of deaths in children under 5 years of age were due to communicable diseases. It is understandable, therefore, that the W.H.O. have pledged themselves to help developing countries remove childhood communicable diseases from their communities. Another comment about tuberculosis is of interest in that the dramatic progress in the chemotherapy of tuberculosis in the past 20 years has made it possible to treat the disease in the community. Despite this some countries cling obstinately to the outmoded concept of long-term sanatorium care.
THE
ISOLATION
OF
MONKEY
B VIRUS
Scientists and their staff who come into contact with monkeys should take special note of the report by Dr Boulter in this journal of the isolation of Monkey B virus (Heesvirus simiae) from the trigeminal ganglia of a healthy seropositive rhesus monkey. The implications are very serious and due protection to prevent infection by the monkey handlers should be taken.
332
of Biologic&
Standardization
1975 3, 331-332
Items of interest W.H.O. NINTH
EXPERT REPORT,
COMMITTEE
ON TUBERCULOSIS,
Wld Hlth Org. techn. Rep. Ser., 552, 1974. The Expert Committee on Tuberculosis was asked to review the recommendations that they had made at the committee held in 1964, to make recommendations that would be of assistance to country health programmes in the field of tuberculosis control, to propose ways in which physicians and other health workers could be motivated and educated for the future in connection with tuberculosis problems and to indicate areas of research to which priority should be given. The committee addressed themselves fully to each of these tasks and their report is most informative. As tuberculosis remains a major health problem in all the developing countries the report will be of value to all such countries. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION VOL. 50, NO. 1-2, pp. 1-142, 1974
BULLETIN,
This edition of the Bulletin has been devoted entirely to the International Histological Classification of Tumours of Domestic Animals. In 1966, the W.H.O. convened a meeting of investigators on comparative oncology, at which the participants agreed to start work on developing an international histological classification of tumours of domestic animals in parallel with the classification of human tumours being developed by the W.H.O. When classification of a tumour was agreed upon a set of representative diapositives and sections are prepared and deposited at the International Reference Centre for Comparative Oncology (I.R.C.C.O.) in America. These diapositives may be borrowed by pathologists of standing on application to I.R.C.C.O. This special issue of the bulletin contains classification of tumours of 10 body sites and work is proceeding on the classification of tumours of a further 11 sites. This edition of the bulletin will prove extremely valuable to those involved in the pathology of tumours occurring in animals. W.H.O.
CHRONICLE,
VOL.
29, NO.
1, JANUARY
1975
This number is devoted entirely to developments of health care in various regions of the world. Although not specifically involved in standardization of biological substances there is nevertheless much interesting reading concerning the organization of health programmes in various countries. W.H.O.
CHRONICLE,
VOL.
29, NO. 2, FEBRUARY
1975
The most relevant articles in this number for our members are those referring to infections and poisoning of man caused by eating fish. It is of interest, for example, to learn that in 331
ITEMS
OF
INTEREST
Japan the consumption of fish or shellfish contaminated with vibrio haemolyticus is responsible for more than half of all the cases of food-borne disease. The monitoring of sea food for the presence of potentially dangerous substances is therefore an essential public health measure. W.H.O.
CHRONICLE,
VOL.
29, NO.
3, MARCH
1975
This number is devoted predominantly to the use and reactions to drugs. Greater attention is being paid to the risks of using drugs and although the benefits of drugs far exceed the risks it is nevertheless estimated that 5% of beds in general hospitals are occupied by patients suffering from the effects of efforts made to treat their illnesses. The excessive use of alcohol and the associated mortality have risen sharply in recent years and in one country the treatment of illnesses due to alcohol use accounts for over 40% of the total expenditure on health services. In North America alcohol has been shown to be a significant factor in approximately 50% of the deaths due to automobile accidents. W.H.O.
CHRONICLE,
VOL.
29, NO.
4, APRIL
1975
This number deals with the important topic of genetic risks from medical radiation. This subject has been discussed by many communities and it is interesting to read the article by Dr Seelentag. It is suggested that slight differences in the collimation of the radiation beam could alter the genetically significant dose to the patient by a factor of 100 or more. It is comforting to read that by June 1975 smallpox may have been eradicated from Asia, and furthermore the transmission of smallpox in Ethiopia (believed to be the only African country where the disease in still endemic) could also be interrupted by the middle of the year. A commentary on the deaths due to infectious diseases is worth noting. In 1972 only 0+3% of deaths in North America were from infectious and parasitic diseases compared In Latin America the with 21.3% in Middle America and 15.2% in South America. whole 36% of deaths in children under 5 years of age were due to communicable diseases. It is understandable, therefore, that the W.H.O. have pledged themselves to help developing countries remove childhood communicable diseases from their communities. Another comment about tuberculosis is of interest in that the dramatic progress in the chemotherapy of tuberculosis in the past 20 years has made it possible to treat the disease in the community. Despite this some countries cling obstinately to the outmoded concept of long-term sanatorium care.
THE
ISOLATION
OF
MONKEY
B VIRUS
Scientists and their staff who come into contact with monkeys should take special note of the report by Dr Boulter in this journal of the isolation of Monkey B virus (Heesvirus simiae) from the trigeminal ganglia of a healthy seropositive rhesus monkey. The implications are very serious and due protection to prevent infection by the monkey handlers should be taken.
332