Tropical Splenomegaly Syndrome in a Caucasian in Africa

"In recent years there has been increased interest in the tropical splenomegaly syndrome and the subject has recently been reviewed (Pitney; 1968; Marsden and Hamilton; 1969; British medical Journal; 1969). Outside Africa tropical splenomegaly syndrome has been described in the inhabitants of sout Arabia (Fawdry; 1965); who anthropologically are caucasoid; in the Melanesians of New Guinea (Marsden et al.; 1967; Pryor; 1967); who are negroid; and in Bengalis (Chaudhuri et al.; 1956); who are caucasoid. No caucasian (or ""Europian"") cases of tropical splenomegaly syndrome appear to have been reported from the African continent; and at least one observer with long experience in Africa states that he has yet to have been in negroes (Marsden et al.;; 1965; Lowenthal et al.; 1966; Ratnesar et al.; 1966; Watson-Williams and Allan; 1968). In a series from the sudan specific mention is not made whether the patients were African or Arab (Mustafa; 1965). We report here a case of topical splenomegaly syndrome in a Caucasian resident in Africa."

Postmortem Findings in Hypertesnive Subjects in Kampala; Uganda

The incidence and causes of hypertension in clinical practice in East Africa have been discussed in other papers in this symposium. In these accounts information has been derived from population surveys; from out-patient studies or from in-patient clinical records. The present paper presents material derived from a survey of postmortem material from the Department of Pathology; Makerere University College medical School and the New Mulago Hospital; Kampala. the purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and type of renal disease in hypertension

Exfoliative cytology in the detection of cervical cancer in Uganda

Walshe in 1851 observed fragments of malignant tissue in sputum; and duggeon and Patrick examined scrapings of tissues for malignant cells. In 1928; Papanicolaou used a similar wet fixation technique for diagnosing cancer of the female genital tract; although his classic paper with Traut was not published until 1943. Exfoliative cytology can now be applied to the study of sputum; stomach washings; pleural; ascitic and cerebrospinal fluids; aspirates; breast secretion and rectal and colonic specimens but it is in the cervix uteri that it is still of maximum value and most frequently used. Cervical cytology may be investigated to determine the hormonal status of the patient and thus serve as a guide to therapy. A second use is as an adjunct to other conventional diagnostic aids where there is an somiasis or tuberculosis. A third and more important use is in the detection of cancer in the population at large. It is this latter application that holds the greatest possibilities; has excited the greatest interest and is the subject of this paper. A group of women who would not otherwise be suspected of having cancer may be identified at a stage before the malignant process has become invasive; when it has an excellent prognosis and when it is treatable by limited surgery which is not mutilating; leaving the patient free incertain cases to have further children