Accidents in the home among children

From 1958-1962, 975 children under 9 years of age (an average of 195 per year) were admitted to the Pediatric Unit of Kingston Public Hospital because of an accident which had happened at home. This represented 7 percent of total admissions. Ingestion of noxious substances was the most common accident - an average of 88 children per year falling into this category and of those 57 had taken kerosene oil. The annual average for burns, foreign bodies and trauma was 54, 36 and 17 respectively. The causes of poisoning were analysed in detail and some features of the organo-phosphorous group, chenopodium, the phenothiazide group and the Jamaican physic nut discussed (AU)

The acute phase of poliomyelitis

The clinical features and differential diagnosis of acute poliomyelitis are outlined briefly. Three hundred and nine (309) admissions to the poliomyelitis unit of the Kingston Public Hospital (from 1957 to 1960 inclusive) are analysed- those in 1957, a year of high incidence, separately from those admitted from 1958-1960, years of relatively low incidence. There were two hundred and twenty-six (226) admissions in 1957- seventy-one (71) non-paralytic and one hundred and fifty-five (155) paralytic compared with eighty-three (83) admissions from 1958-1960 when all but one was paralytic. In both groups approximately 65 percent of the paralysed had only low spinal involvement. The incidence of "pure" bulbar involvement was relatively low- 3.8 percent in 1957 and 1.2 percent in 1958-1960. There was a higher percentage of patients with bulbar-spinal involvement (13.4 percent) during 1958-1960 than in 1957 (3.8 percent). The management of life threatening poliomyelitis and its complications are described (AU)

The acute phase of anterior poliomyelitis (abstract only)

The clinical classification, clinical features and differential diagnosis are outlined. Three hundred and nine cases were admitted to the Kingston Public Hospital during the period 1957 to 1960. Of these, 226 were admitted in the year 1957 -71 were non-paralytic cases while 155 were paralytic. This compared with the 83 admissions for 1958 to 1960 when all but one case was paralytic. In both groups, 65 percent of the paralysed patients sustained only low-spinal involvement. The incidence of "pure" bulbur involvement was low - 3.8 percent in 1957 and 1.2 percent in 1958 - 1960. There was a higher percentage of patients with bulbar spinal involvement (13.4 percent) during 1958-1960 than in 1957 (3.8 percent). The management of life threatening poliomyelitis and the complications are described (AU)

Chronic lead poisoning

A case of chronic plumbism with acute manifestations in a toddler successfully treated with calcium versenate is presented. An elder sibling also showed features of plumbism. The complete mental recovery following lead encephalopathy treated with calcium versenate (disodium calcium ethylene diamine tetra-acetate) is an encouraging feature. (Summary)