- Email: [email protected]
RED-CELL SIZE IN INDIA
41 tions under consideration was " the work in connexion with the future convention for the limitation of the production of raw materials." A draft of the principal articles to be embodied in the convention was considered in private session, of which no minutes So this fundamental question has were published. been again adjourned, though it is stated that ’ substantial progress has been made." HOUSE-APPOINTMENTS
weeks ago a newly qualified man described correspondence columns the plight of those who, having registered with the B.M.A. for war service, were compelled when war broke out to hold themselves in readiness to be called up at some unspecified future A
in
FEW
our
date. The obvious way for a young doctor to fill this period of waiting is to take a house-appointment, but the applicants for the available jobs much exceed the supply and the chances of the average man getting A further obstacle is now being placed one are small. by certain hospitals in the way of those waiting their call to the services. For example, in their advertisement in our last issue for a house-surgeon one hospital inserted the clause: "Preference will be given to candidates without military commitments." The hospital committee’s point of view is that their primary duty is to ensure having an adequate staff when emergency arises, and hence they do not want to take on a man who may be called away at short notice at any time. While taking it for granted that every possible applicant would have volunteered for service of some kind, they hoped to find one in the category " for home service only." But the clause as it stands is undoubtedly directed against those who have acted with the highest patriotic motives, and seems clearly to be contrary to national interest. We are glad to learn that this particular clause has now been withdrawn. Let us hope that hospital committees will make up their minds that the possibility of frequent changes of house-officers is one of the extra burdens that they have to face in war-time. Although it may be too much to ask that they should give preference to potential members of the fighting services, they should at least consider their claims without prejudice. RED-CELL SIZE IN INDIA ACCURATE red-cell measurements have been made
both in Europe and America, but little knowledge has hitherto been available about cell size in India. Dr. H. N. Chatterjeehas now reviewed the relative value of different methods of estimating cell size and has applied these methods to both normal and pathological bloods of residents in Bengal. He has interested himself particularly in the question of red-cell thickness. His investigation of the anaemias associated with pregnancy has shown that the increased cell volume in the macrocytic type of anaemia has been closely associated with a cell thickness greater than normal. On the other hand, the increase in cell diameter has been less constant in these cases and has not been present in all cases of increased cell volume. The finding of this increased cell thickness is not surprising in view of the evidence brought forward by Evans and Willsthat pregnancy may result in increased red-cell fragility. Cassels,3 who also studied red-cell changes in pregnancy in England, while noting the increased fragility, was unable to correlate this change with any increase in red-cell 1. Studies in the Dimensions of
Erythrocytes of Man. By H. Chatterjee, M.B., University of Calcutta, 1939. Pp. 36. 2. Evans, B. D. F., and Wills, L., J. Path. Bact. 1939, 48, 437. 3. Cassels, D. A. K., Ibid, 47, 603.
N.
thickness. This observation that changes in red-cell fragility are associated with pregnancy is of considerable interest, and no explanation has yet been put forward. POISON GASES AND FOOD
THE repeated allegations made by the Germans that other countries are using mustard gas, and their latest ridiculous suggestion that we are adding a dash of mustard to our naval shells may possibly be preparing the way for gas-attacks on Britain itself. The civilian population is now fairly well protected and except in crowded areas the menace does not seem formidable so far as direct injury to the person is concerned. Gas might, however, seriously contaminate our food and water supplies.1 Food in porous containers-sacks or paper or cardboard wrappings-may merely absorb or adsorb a poisonous vapour, without itself undergoing any alteration, but when it is removed to uncontaminated air the vapour may be given off in the air of the store or larder. The cooking of contaminated food is likely to lead to rapid emission of vapour, though heat will also accelerate hydrolysis into harmless but possibly eviltasting products. What is left unchanged in the food may still lead to digestive disturbances, for it may behave in the stomach much as it does when absorbed by the skin. The risk is of course greater in the case of food like butter and margarine, in which mustard gas is readily soluble, and which are eaten uncooked. The more persistent lacrimatory gases may also be absorbed by foods in the cold and given off on airing or cooking. Lewisite (chlorovinyl dichlorarsine) and other arsines may interact with the water in foodstuffs, leading to the formation of arsenious acid, and organic cyanides may yield hydrocyanic acid. Phosgene easily hydrolyses, producing hydrochloric acid which will not be appreciated in food or drink by any but the confirmed achlorhydric. Tea and tobacco are drastically affected by this gas, as is the baking quality of flour. Airing or rejecting the outer layer of packages of food which have been exposed to gas may allow the rest to be used safely if it is carefully tested, but the safest plan is to use trustworthy containers only. Metal canisters or wellstoppered bottles and jars are the best, and Cellophane is practically gas-proof, but ordinary greaseproof paper and waxed containers cannot be relied on. When food has been contaminated by liquid mustard or other persistent gases the only sound advice seems to be to destroy it.
Dr. J. MIDDLETON MARTIN, who died at Cheltenham Dec. 30, was formerly county M.O.H. for Gloucester and then conceived one of the first practical schemes for the extension of medical services. on
1. See Cox, H. E., Analyst, 1939, J. Pharm. Belg. 1939, 21, 793.
64, 807, and Schoop, F.,
GENERAL. MEDICAL COUNCIL.—At
a
meeting
of the
executive committee of the council held on Nov. 27 it was reported that the following names had been restored toI the register after removal (under section 14 of the Medical Act 1858) on failing to keep the council in touch with their whereabouts : Vincent E. N. Allen, Hugh G. Bruce, Alexander C. Farquharson, Neville C. Gwynn, Gerald B. Kirkland, Noel E. Laurence, Samuel R. Mackenzie, Thomas H. K. MacLaughlin, Henry O. Martin, Alexander Milne-Thomson, David Morrison, Constance A. Mortlock-Brown, Arthur J. de Lyse O’Connor, Edgar F. J. Peregrine, Walter A. Propert, Shaikh A. H. Qureshi, William Reikan, Charles E. Rice and Chung Ching Wang.
weeks ago a newly qualified man described correspondence columns the plight of those who, having registered with the B.M.A. for war service, were compelled when war broke out to hold themselves in readiness to be called up at some unspecified future A
in
FEW
our
date. The obvious way for a young doctor to fill this period of waiting is to take a house-appointment, but the applicants for the available jobs much exceed the supply and the chances of the average man getting A further obstacle is now being placed one are small. by certain hospitals in the way of those waiting their call to the services. For example, in their advertisement in our last issue for a house-surgeon one hospital inserted the clause: "Preference will be given to candidates without military commitments." The hospital committee’s point of view is that their primary duty is to ensure having an adequate staff when emergency arises, and hence they do not want to take on a man who may be called away at short notice at any time. While taking it for granted that every possible applicant would have volunteered for service of some kind, they hoped to find one in the category " for home service only." But the clause as it stands is undoubtedly directed against those who have acted with the highest patriotic motives, and seems clearly to be contrary to national interest. We are glad to learn that this particular clause has now been withdrawn. Let us hope that hospital committees will make up their minds that the possibility of frequent changes of house-officers is one of the extra burdens that they have to face in war-time. Although it may be too much to ask that they should give preference to potential members of the fighting services, they should at least consider their claims without prejudice. RED-CELL SIZE IN INDIA ACCURATE red-cell measurements have been made
both in Europe and America, but little knowledge has hitherto been available about cell size in India. Dr. H. N. Chatterjeehas now reviewed the relative value of different methods of estimating cell size and has applied these methods to both normal and pathological bloods of residents in Bengal. He has interested himself particularly in the question of red-cell thickness. His investigation of the anaemias associated with pregnancy has shown that the increased cell volume in the macrocytic type of anaemia has been closely associated with a cell thickness greater than normal. On the other hand, the increase in cell diameter has been less constant in these cases and has not been present in all cases of increased cell volume. The finding of this increased cell thickness is not surprising in view of the evidence brought forward by Evans and Willsthat pregnancy may result in increased red-cell fragility. Cassels,3 who also studied red-cell changes in pregnancy in England, while noting the increased fragility, was unable to correlate this change with any increase in red-cell 1. Studies in the Dimensions of
Erythrocytes of Man. By H. Chatterjee, M.B., University of Calcutta, 1939. Pp. 36. 2. Evans, B. D. F., and Wills, L., J. Path. Bact. 1939, 48, 437. 3. Cassels, D. A. K., Ibid, 47, 603.
N.
thickness. This observation that changes in red-cell fragility are associated with pregnancy is of considerable interest, and no explanation has yet been put forward. POISON GASES AND FOOD
THE repeated allegations made by the Germans that other countries are using mustard gas, and their latest ridiculous suggestion that we are adding a dash of mustard to our naval shells may possibly be preparing the way for gas-attacks on Britain itself. The civilian population is now fairly well protected and except in crowded areas the menace does not seem formidable so far as direct injury to the person is concerned. Gas might, however, seriously contaminate our food and water supplies.1 Food in porous containers-sacks or paper or cardboard wrappings-may merely absorb or adsorb a poisonous vapour, without itself undergoing any alteration, but when it is removed to uncontaminated air the vapour may be given off in the air of the store or larder. The cooking of contaminated food is likely to lead to rapid emission of vapour, though heat will also accelerate hydrolysis into harmless but possibly eviltasting products. What is left unchanged in the food may still lead to digestive disturbances, for it may behave in the stomach much as it does when absorbed by the skin. The risk is of course greater in the case of food like butter and margarine, in which mustard gas is readily soluble, and which are eaten uncooked. The more persistent lacrimatory gases may also be absorbed by foods in the cold and given off on airing or cooking. Lewisite (chlorovinyl dichlorarsine) and other arsines may interact with the water in foodstuffs, leading to the formation of arsenious acid, and organic cyanides may yield hydrocyanic acid. Phosgene easily hydrolyses, producing hydrochloric acid which will not be appreciated in food or drink by any but the confirmed achlorhydric. Tea and tobacco are drastically affected by this gas, as is the baking quality of flour. Airing or rejecting the outer layer of packages of food which have been exposed to gas may allow the rest to be used safely if it is carefully tested, but the safest plan is to use trustworthy containers only. Metal canisters or wellstoppered bottles and jars are the best, and Cellophane is practically gas-proof, but ordinary greaseproof paper and waxed containers cannot be relied on. When food has been contaminated by liquid mustard or other persistent gases the only sound advice seems to be to destroy it.
Dr. J. MIDDLETON MARTIN, who died at Cheltenham Dec. 30, was formerly county M.O.H. for Gloucester and then conceived one of the first practical schemes for the extension of medical services. on
1. See Cox, H. E., Analyst, 1939, J. Pharm. Belg. 1939, 21, 793.
64, 807, and Schoop, F.,
GENERAL. MEDICAL COUNCIL.—At
a
meeting
of the
executive committee of the council held on Nov. 27 it was reported that the following names had been restored toI the register after removal (under section 14 of the Medical Act 1858) on failing to keep the council in touch with their whereabouts : Vincent E. N. Allen, Hugh G. Bruce, Alexander C. Farquharson, Neville C. Gwynn, Gerald B. Kirkland, Noel E. Laurence, Samuel R. Mackenzie, Thomas H. K. MacLaughlin, Henry O. Martin, Alexander Milne-Thomson, David Morrison, Constance A. Mortlock-Brown, Arthur J. de Lyse O’Connor, Edgar F. J. Peregrine, Walter A. Propert, Shaikh A. H. Qureshi, William Reikan, Charles E. Rice and Chung Ching Wang.