Fundamental approach to the enigmas of virus and disease: an inaugural lecture given in the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland

An inaugural lecture by Professor J. G. Cruickshank on medical approaches to deal with outbreaks of viruses and diseases

Soils and Terrain Units Around Resolute, Cornwallis Island

The soils around Resolute, southwest Cornwallis Island, are mapped and described. Polar Desert, Lithosol and Tundra gley are identified as the main genetic soils. Polar Desert Soils and Lithosols are found on dry, moisture-shedding sites, whereas some Bog soils are intermixed with Tundra gleys in wet, poorly drained and plant colonized sites. Subdivisions of soil series are associated with terrain units, which are regarded as a useful differentiating basis among arctic soils and as an aid in their mapping. Local variation within the three genetic soils is related to changes in parent material, terrain unit and percent plant cover. Weathering and pedogenesis are those of a cold, arid environment, and the Polar Desert soils are dominant in the study area.Unités de sols et de terrain près de Résolute, île de Cornwallis.  L’auteur décrit les sols autour de Résolute, au sud-ouest de l’île de Cornwallis, et il les cartographie.  Il identifie trois sols génétiques principaux : polaire désertique, lithosol et gley toundrique.  Les sols polaires désertiques et les lithosols se retrouvent en des sites secs et ne retenant pas l’humidité, tandis que quelques sols de marécage sont mélangés aux gleys toundriques sur des sites humides, mal drainés et colonisés par la végétation.  On associe les subdivisions des séries pédologiques avec des unités de terrain, qui sont utiles comme base de différentiation entre les sols arctiques et pour aider à les cartographier.  A l’intérieur des trois sols génétiques, la variation locale est liée à des changements dans le matériau d’origine, l’unité de terrain et le pourcentage de couverture végétale.  L’intempérisme et la pédogénèse sont ceux d’un milieu froid et aride et les sols polaires désertiques sont donc dominants dans la région

Multiple Transferable Drug Resistance In Enterobacteria In Mashonaland

A CAJM article on the prevalence of drug resistance in Mashonaland Province, Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia.)The development of resistance to antibiotics is so prevalent that it is prudent continuously to monitor the patterns of sensitivity in organisms likely to become involved. Particularly important are the staphylococci and the enterobacteria. The phenomenon is with staphylococci, a problem found largely within hospitals and similar “close contact” institutions and, while the same may apply to some extent to the enteric organisms, increase in resistance in bacteria in non-hospitalised patients is becoming fairly common

Smallpox In Rhodesia And The Use Of The Electron Microscope In The Diagnosis Of This And Other Diseases

A CAJM article on the prevalence of smallpox in Zimbabwe (ex-Rhodesia) and the use of Electron Microscope in its diagnosis.This paper reports the laboratory findings in these cases of smallpox to indicate (1) the availability of such a medical service in Rhodesia to counter smallpox; (2) that rapid reporting can be achieved after receipt in the laboratory of the specimen; (3) that rapid positive alternative some days to reach the laboratory. One technique used in the diagnosis of smallpox is electron-microscopy for virus particles, and some examples of the general usefulness of this technique in medical and veterinary diagnosis in Rhodesia are included in this report

Observations on the diagnosis of typhoid fever in an endemic area

The problem of providing laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis of typhoid in an endemic area was considered. A consecutive series of pyrexial patients was studied clinically, by blood and stool culture, the Widal reaction, the Sclavo rapid slide test and the diazo reaction. High Widal titres at even very early stages of typhoid suggested an anamnestic response. However, few non-typhoid cases had detectable Widal titres, and it seems, therefore, that though post-typhoid levels of antibody may be very low or even undetectable, further contact gives rise to a secondary response. Diagnostic criteria based upon a single Widal reading should be established for endemic areas, since rising titres may not be demonstrable. Though the rapid slide tests and the diazo reaction may be of some use in screening procedures in non-endemic areas, the results in endemic areas are likely to be confusing.S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1368 (1974)

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Inoculated And Intralymphatic Vaccinia Virus On Primary And Secondary Deposits Of Malignant Melanoma

A CAJM investigation of the Effects of Inoculated and Intralymphatic Vaccinia Virus on Primary and Secondary Deposits of Malignant Melanoma.The six patients included in this investigation were selected on the basis of histologically-proven malignant melanomas of the lower extremity, with either local intradermal metastases or regional lymph node involvement. If unvaccinated in the previous five years, vaccination was performed at least 14 days before using the virus therapeutically. Vaccinia virus was prepared from stock vacccine obtained from the South African Institute for Medical Research. Virus was inoculated on the Chorio-allantoic membrane of 12 day embryonated hens’ eggs in which growth was confluent on the third day. Virus was extracted in buffered saline, cleared and tested for sterility. The titre of the undiluted material was 107 pock forming units per ml. This was used at a dilution of 1:50 for both the superficial and deep lesions

Hazards of handling

A study of the bacterial flora among infants, mothers, staff (nursing and medical), and the environment of a neonatal unit is outlined. On admission to the unit, 60,5% of babies were already infected, presumably from contact with medical staff. By day 15 this number had increased significantly. A large number of mothers (40% on day 1, and 91% on day 15) were found to be carrying pathogenic organisms, providing a significant bacterial reservoir in the unit. Few pathogens were isolated from the environment.S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1165 (1974)

2. Survey Of Urban Blood Donors And Rural Populations

A CAJM survey on the prevalence of Australia Antigen in the blood of Zimbabweans (formerly Rhodesians)Consequently a more comprehensive survey was undertaken to determine the general prevalence of the antigen in Rhodesia by testing African and European blood donors as examples of urban populations and, in contrast, certain African tribal groups as examples of rural populations. The results are presented here together with the findings in cases of hepatitis and leprosy which have come to hand subsequent to the pilot survey

Bucindolol: A Pharmacogenomic Perspective on Its Use in Chronic Heart Failure

Bucindolol is a non-selective β-adrenergic receptor blocker with α-1 blocker properties and mild intrinsic sympatholytic activity. The Beta-Blocker Evaluation of Survival Trial (BEST), which is the largest clinical trial of bucindolol in patients with heart failure, was terminated prematurely and failed to show an overall mortality benefit. However, benefits on cardiac mortality and re-hospitalization rates were observed in the BEST trial. Bucindolol has not shown benefits in African Americans, those with significantly low ejection fraction and those in NYHA class IV heart failure. These observations could be due to the exaggerated sympatholytic response to bucindolol in these sub-groups that may be mediated by genetic polymorphisms or changes in gene regulation due to advanced heart failure. This paper provides a timely clinical update on the use of bucindolol in chronic heart failure