[Nursing perspective on the care of people with leprosy in Ivory Coast]. / Regard infirmier sur les soins aux personnes atteintes de la lèpre en Côte d'Ivoire.

Lucien Gbadié is a nurse at the Raoul-Follereau Institute in Adzopé, Ivory Coast. In this article, he describes how people with leprosy or Buruli ulcer are treated and supported.

Dermatoses in the first 72 h of life: a clinical and statistical survey.

BACKGROUND: The neonatal period is generally regarded as the first 28 days of extrauterine life. Skin disorders are commonly seen in the neonatal period, most of which are transient and limited to the first days or weeks of life. In spite of being so frequent, these transient conditions usually escape dermatologist's observations, and consequently few have been studied. AIMS: The study was designed to identify the dermatoses in the first 72 h of life; to report the relationship among the most common dermatoses with the newborn's features; and to verify how often dermatoses are reported by the neonatologist. METHODS: The authors carried out a cross-sectional study on newborn's dermatoses in a brazilian public hospital, including 203 healthy neonates, until 72 h of age, with skin disorders. RESULTS: Out of 34 different skin diagnosed conditions, hypertrichosis lanuginosa, Mongolian spot, sebaceous hyperplasia, epidermal hyperpigmentation, erythema toxicum, and salmon patch were the most frequent ones. The dermatoses with statistical significance were: Mongolian spot and epidermal hyperpigmentation with the non-white newborns; erythema toxicum and cutis marmorata with the white newborns; salmon patch with the female sex; physiologic desquamation with the cesarean section; acrocyanosis with the first pregnancy birth and Bohn's nodules with the vaginal delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-four different types of dermatological alterations were identified in the healthy newborn within 3 days of life at the Maternity School of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Underreporting of dermatoses with serious medical significance shows the importance of a dermatologist in the neonatal unit of a hospital.

Historia del Hospital Hanga Roa / History of the Hospital Hanga Roa

En el año 1917, se obtienen los primeros fondos para la construcción de un primer establecimiento destinado a recibir a los enfermos, específicamente a los que han contraído la lepra en el “Lazareto de Leprosos”, que será administrado por el Obispo por encargo del Presidente de la República de la época. Esta administración obedece a que los misioneros católicos llevaban operando en Rapa Nui desde mediados de la década de 1860. La introducción de la Lepra a la Isla, se debió a un nativo que la había contraído en Tahití, como tantos otros que habían sido llevados a trabajar a esa zona.En 1936 la Armada de Chile comienza a asumir un rol más activo con respecto a la “Compañía Exploradora Williamson & Balfour” exigiéndole respetar la mejora del Leprosario, la construcción de la primera posta médica y la inversión de medicamentos para la población de la Isla de Pascua.

[Nosocomial infection of scabies in national hospitals and sanatoria in Japan].

The aim of this study was to investigate cases of nosocomial infection of scabies in the national hospitals in Japan. Questionnaires sent to 183 hospitals and sanatoria were returned by 93. Fifty-three cases in 24 institutions of nosocomial infection were reported in the past 5 years. No nosocomial infection was reported from 7 sanatoria for Hansen's diseases where the patients were relatively older and had higher ADL scores. It took 7.5 weeks on the average to eliminate nosocomial infection and more than 8 weeks were required to control them in the hospitals where more than 10 cases had occurred. Benzyl benzoate, gamma benzene hexachloride, and Pyrethroids, which were not approved as drugs for the treatment of scabies in Japan, were used in the all institutions where nosocomial infection occurred except for one institution. Problems to be solved were as follows; (1) delay of diagnosis and treatment, (2) lack of nursing staff, (3) difficulties of complete isolation due to lack of spaces, inability of patients to understand the need for isolation and also the psychological instability of the isolated patients, (4) recurrence due to the use of ineffective drugs, (5) insufficient information about the prevalence of scabies in the previous institutions, (6) misdiagnosis of non-scabies patients with itchy skin rash as the scabies, (7) inconsisitent care due to poor evaluation of skin lesions.

Carville and Curupaiti: experiences of confinement and community.

Although Hansen's disease (leprosy) is still a significant problem in many parts of the world, the effectiveness of multidrug therapy has allowed people affected by this disease to be treated on an outpatient basis. However, throughout much of the twentieth century, people diagnosed with Hansen's disease were isolated from their families in facilities known as "leprosaria". This article presents a brief history of isolation policies and the development of community structures at two such facilities, Carville and Curupaiti, in the United States and Brazil, respectively. The modern dilemmas faced by the administration, staff, and residents of these institutions will also be discussed.

The pattern of neurological disease at Kenyatta National Hospital.

A retrospective survey of neurological disease seen at KNH in medical wards and medical outpatients clinics is presented. Neurological diseases constituted 7.5% of all medical conditions seen over that period. Infections especially meningitis were found to be the commonest. The 3 commonest diseases were meningitis (23.1%), epilepsy (16.6%) and cerebrovascular diseases (15.0%). Neurosyphilis, trypanosomiasis, and leprosy only infrequently seen (1-2 cases annually). Multiple sclerosis seen regularly through infrequently since 1981. The trend of the 3 commonest conditions is presented and a downward trend is noted. The mortality patterns for the 3 commonest diseases is also presented.

[History of public health in the country of Vaud in the middle ages: an evaluation]. / L'histoire de la santé dans le pays de Vaud au Moyen Age: un bilan.

The rich archival sources of mediaeval Vaudois institutions make it possible to study a great variety of health problems of that country. Recent studies elucidate, e.g., the administration of the vineyards of the hospital of the town of Vevey as well as the management of great numbers of pilgrims or victims of a disaster by the same hospital. Progression and demographic consequences of the plaque outbreaks of 1348 and 1360 have been worked out and the network of leper-houses could be reconstructed. Finally, the ambiguous attitude of the citizens of Lausanne towards their hospital in the 14th century has been revealed: pious legacies on the one hand, endeavour to control them politically on the other.

Sixty years of psychiatry at Carville.

The hospital now known as the Gillis W. Long Hansen's Disease Center is the only hospital in the United States solely treating Hansen's disease (leprosy). From the time of its establishment in 1894 until 1923, the psychiatric patients presented treatment and management problems that remained unaddressed. Since 1923, however, psychiatric consultants have provided care and treatment for this segment of the Carville population. This paper presents the findings of three of these consultants for the period 1923 to 1985, and outlines similarities and differences in the diagnoses, treatments, and disposition of patients, as well as indications for future investigations.

Las instituciones de salud en la Argentina, desarrollo y crisis / Health institutions in Argentina, development and crisis

Proceso histórico de conformación de las actuales relaciones de poder en el sector de salud, en Argentina. Diferencian tres grupos de instituiciones que toman a su cargo la satisfaccíon de las necessidades de salud y atencíon médica en Argentina, desde 1880 hasta 1940. Ellas son 1)las mutualidades o asociaciones de beneficios mútuos que dan origen a las obras sociales. 2)las instituciones estatales. 3)las instituciones de beneficencia. Las dos últimas se ocupan de la proteccíon del indingente. Las instituciones estatales dan origen a los Ministerios de Salud y Accíon Social y las sociedades de beneficencia subsisten como Patronato de la Infancia, Liga argentina contra la tuberculosis, contra la lepra, etc. senala el origen de los hospitales privados y públicos, los costos de funcionamiento y equipamiento de los mismos, así como la demanda de atención médica en Buenos Aires.

Las instituciones de salud en la Argentina, desarrollo y crisis / Health institutions in Argentina, development and crisis

Proceso histórico de conformación de las actuales relaciones de poder en el sector de salud, en Argentina. Diferencian tres grupos de instituiciones que toman a su cargo la satisfaccíon de las necessidades de salud y atencíon médica en Argentina, desde 1880 hasta 1940. Ellas son 1)las mutualidades o asociaciones de beneficios mútuos que dan origen a las obras sociales. 2)las instituciones estatales. 3)las instituciones de beneficencia. Las dos últimas se ocupan de la proteccíon del indingente. Las instituciones estatales dan origen a los Ministerios de Salud y Accíon Social y las sociedades de beneficencia subsisten como Patronato de la Infancia, Liga argentina contra la tuberculosis, contra la lepra, etc. senala el origen de los hospitales privados y públicos, los costos de funcionamiento y equipamiento de los mismos, así como la demanda de atención médica en Buenos Aires.

Las instituciones de salud en la Argentina, desarrollo y crisis / Health institutions in Argentina, development and crisis

Proceso histórico de conformación de las actuales relaciones de poder en el sector de salud, en Argentina. Diferencian tres grupos de instituiciones que toman a su cargo la satisfaccíon de las necessidades de salud y atencíon médica en Argentina, desde 1880 hasta 1940. Ellas son 1)las mutualidades o asociaciones de beneficios mútuos que dan origen a las obras sociales. 2)las instituciones estatales. 3)las instituciones de beneficencia. Las dos últimas se ocupan de la proteccíon del indingente. Las instituciones estatales dan origen a los Ministerios de Salud y Accíon Social y las sociedades de beneficencia subsisten como Patronato de la Infancia, Liga argentina contra la tuberculosis, contra la lepra, etc. senala el origen de los hospitales privados y públicos, los costos de funcionamiento y equipamiento de los mismos, así como la demanda de atención médica en Buenos Aires

Center provides research, treatment for Hansen's disease.

The National Hansen's Disease Center is a unique research, training, and treatment complex at Carville, LA, for Hansen's disease (leprosy), a chronic illness affecting an estimated 15 million people worldwide. The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul helped establish it in 1896, and in 1921 the center became a federally funded institution. SUlfone drug treatment, a major advance, was begun there. Scientists at Carville study the disease's unknown mode of transmission; training administrators conduct learning seminars; and laboratory researchers produce bacteria samples to be distributed as possible vaccines. Some patients receive treatment and leave, whereas others reside at the self-contained community. Reconstructive surgery is performed there, and special footwear is made. Some patients work on The Star, a magazine dedicated to correcting misconceptions about the disease and its communicability. The center includes a school and a pool and golf course. Hansen's disease care programs are available in many states and are expanding to other areas.