Clinical vampirism A presentation of 3 cases and a re-evaluation of Haigh, the 'acid-bath murderer'

Clinical vampirism is named after the mythical vampire, and is a recognizable, although rare, clinical entity characterized by periodic compulsive blooddrinking, affinity with the dead and uncertain identity. It is hypothetically the expression of an inherited archaic myth, the act of taking blood being a ritual that gives temporary relief. From ancient times vampirists have given substance to belief in the existence of supernatural vampires. Four vampirists, including Haigh, the 'acid-bath murderer', are described. From childhood they cut themselves, drank their own, exogenous human or animal blood to relieve a craving, dreamed of bloodshed, asspciated with the dead, and had a changing identity. They were intelligent, with no family mental or social pathology. Some self-cutters are auto-vampirists; females are not likely to assault others for blood, but males are potentially dangerous. Vampirism may be a cause of unpredictable repeated assault and murder, and should be looked for in violent criminals who are self-mutilators. No specific treatment is known

More doctors and dentists are needed in South Africa

Background. An aim of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) project ‘Strengthening Academic Medicine and Specialist Training’ was to research the number and needs of specialists and subspecialists within South Africa. Methods. Data were collected from several sources: Deans of the 8 Faculties of Health Sciences and the Presidents of the 27 constituent Colleges of the CMSA completed a survey; and the HPCSA’s Register of Approved Registrar Posts for Faculties of Health Sciences was examined and the results tabulated. Results. South Africa compares unfavourably with middle-income countries on the ratios of medical and dental professionals; many districts have limited access to specialists and subspecialists. The unacceptable ratio of doctors, dentists and other health professionals per capita needs to be remedied, given South Africa’s impressive reputation for its output of health professionals, including the areas of medical training, clinical practice and clinical research. The existing output from South Africa’s 8 medical schools of MB ChB and specialist graduates is not being absorbed into the public health system, and neither are other health professionals. Conclusion. Dynamic leadership and policy interventions are required to advocate and finance the planned increase of medical, dental and other health professionals in South Africa

Properties of Microelectromagnet Mirrors as Reflectors of Cold Rb Atoms

Cryogenically cooled microelectromagnet mirrors were used to reflect a cloud of free-falling laser-cooled 85Rb atoms at normal incidence. The mirrors consisted of microfabricated current-carrying Au wires in a periodic serpentine pattern on a sapphire substrate. The fluorescence from the atomic cloud was imaged after it had bounced off a mirror. The transverse width of the cloud reached a local minimum at an optimal current corresponding to minimum mirror roughness. A distinct increase in roughness was found for mirror configurations with even versus odd number of lines. These observations confirm theoretical predictions.Comment: Physical Review A, in print; 11 pages, 4 figure

A Structured Assessment of Newly Qualified Medical Graduates.

Introduction While there is extensive published experience with the assessment of procedural skills in undergraduate students, this is limited in newly qualified medical graduates at the time of entry to the pre-registration (internship) year. The few studies that have been published suggest that these skills are frequently deficient when objectively tested. We therefore chose to assess the competence of a group of South African medical graduates on entry to their pre-registration year.Methods A total of 58 graduates of South African medical schools were assessed. Each subject participated in a 7-station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE); 6 of these assessed individual competence in phlebotomy, intramuscular injection, female pelvic examination, bladder catheterisation, tracheal intubation and prescription writing, while competence in cardiopulmonary resuscitation was assessed in a seventh station in randomly allocated teams of 3 candidates. Candidates' opinions of their own competence was sought by questionnaire.Results There was a wide variation in competence between subjects and across the range of tasks studied. Mean scores ranged from 85.4% for phlebotomy to 55.3% for prescription writing. The average score across all stations was 67.5%, and no student obtained an overall cut-off score of 85% or more, which was established using a modified Angoff method. Subjects' assessment of their own performance was unduly optimistic; most believed that they had demonstrated competence despite clear shortcomings in technique. Objective scores for subjects who had been exposed to a structured skills laboratory programme were not significantly higher than for those who had not, although their self-assessed performance was indeed higher.Discussion Most of the South African medical graduates who participated in this study were unable to satisfactorily perform technical procedures appropriate to the house officer on entry to the pre-registration year. This is in line with the conclusions of the few studies published in other countries. We suggest that the learning outcomes of undergraduate medical programmes should include an explicit statement of the competencies required for practice in the pre-registration year, and that these should be adequately taught and rigorously assessed before graduation.</p