The international yellow fever problem in the Caribbean Islands

A brief historical resume of yellow fever in the western hemisphere is given. The present position in the Caribbean and the dangerous proximity of these teritories to the endemic yellow fever zone have been described. It has been shown that the Caribbean is susceptible to yellow fever and that the mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, is present; the introduction of the virus would therefore result in epidemics of the disease. The methods of eliminating the danger of urban yellow fever epidemics using DDT, and the costs of these methods are given (AU)

Yellow fever service of British Guiana

Considerable progress has been made during the last year. Aedes aegypti have been eradicated in all areas in which Aedes control measures were undertaken. Maintenance work will have to continue indefinitely. The use of DDT and a higher standard of efficiency in the field have been responsible for the progress made. It has been established that residual DDT house-spraying is cheaper and more effective than routine Aedes aegypti control methods. The Yellow Fever Service will merge with the Malaria service, under the heading "Mosquito Control Service", in 1947. A colony-wide programme of mosquito control by DDT house-spraying will be undertaken by the service, to combat malaria and filariasis, and to maintain Aedes aegypti eradication (Summary)

Iron therapy in severe cutaneous leprosy

Abnormally low haemoglobin readings have been found in patients suffering from leprosy, particularly the lepromatous form, in the absence of intercurrent disease and secondary septic complications. This is particularly, marked in the L2 and L3 cases where patients fail to improve on routine treatment over a prolonged period. Response to Ferri et Ammon. Citrate is immediate and rapid up to a level of about 65-70 percent, and further gain follows the administration of Ferrous Sulphate. Clinical improvement follows the rise in haemoglobin. The haemoglobin curve appears to be an accurate clinical barometer, similar to the Blood Sedimentation Index. Haemoglobin estimations are simpler and take far less time. The possible influence of the diet is indicated. The investigation took place over 14 months, involving 195 persons and including 21 "controls" (Summary)

Sulphapyridine therapy in pneumonia in children

One hundred cases of pneumonia treated with sulphapyridine were investigated. There was one death (a case of broncho pneumonia seen on the 34th day of illness, organism Streptococcus viridans, with terminal vasomotor failure ) giving a mortality rate of 1 percent; the figure for the three previous years, without chemotherapy, was 13.6 percent. The reactions of the white cell count and blood sedimentation rate are shown. Clinical improvement occurred about eight hours after administration of the drug, which was well tolerated by the children. Resolution was complete, and recoveries were uniformly uneventful. A few cases displayed some sensitivity to the drug, and the indications are that some patients are hypersensitive to sulphapyridine; as this sensitivity is obvious from the outset ordinary care will prevent any catastrophe. The danger if the drug is not used under medical supervision is no less obvious. The comparatively short interval of administration made dietary restrictions easy and readily adaptable. There was a marked absence of toxic effects as a result of the administration of sulphapyridine (Summary)