1. Using ordinary clinical thermometers resting oral temperatures were taken in 4,463 schoolgirls between the ages of 6 and 20 years. 2. From 2,500 readings in clinically healthy and apyrexial girls charts were made to show temperature variations. 3. It was demonstrated that in the age group 6-10 the mean temperature was 99.5 F. That in the age group 10-14 the mean temperature was 99.3 F and in the age group 14-20 the mean temperature was 99.1 F. 4. For all age groups the majority fell within the limit of 98.9 – 100 F. 5. It is not uncommon to encounter a temperature of over 100º and up to 100.8º of no pathological significance. 6. Temperature readings are not a reliable guide in the clinical assessment of children unless the above considerations are borne in mind.
Strains of Taenia taeniaeformis were shown to possess markedly differing infectivities for Sprague-Dawley rats and CFI mice. Strains from Scotland, Belgium and Iraq were more infective for mice than rats while this situation was reversed with a Malaysian strain. There were also differences in their ability to infect hosts of different ages within the range 3-12 weeks of age.
This paper presents four cases of Fournier's gangrene, including one involving a reconstructive procedure using a preputial rotation flap to cover the raw area, to reduce the period of wound healing. Since Fournier's description of Idiopathic scrotal gangrene in 1884, there have been a number of reports on this relatively rare disease but the problem of achieving early healing and epithelialisation remains.
A case of traumatic chylothorax is presented with its typical clinical presentation. Failure of conservative measures led to a transthoracic ligation of the thoracic duct, with good result.
Carcinoma of the buccal mucosa is the commonest intra-oral malignancy seen in Malaysia. The purpose of this paper is to present 12 patients with carcinoma of the buccal mucosa who were seen by the authors between January 1981 to September 1981. The principal problems are those of late presentation and treatment, these aspects are illustrated, with a view of early return to normal life.
Pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction of the defect following surgery for oral cancer in fourteen patients is described. The problems and complications encountered have been found to be minimal. Functional and cosmetic results were acceptable.
The relationship between the timing of maternal tetanus toxoid immunization and the presence of protective antitoxin in placental cord blood was investigated among women admitted to the obstetrical service of the University Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 1st dose was given between 13-39 weeks of gestation, with a median of 29 weeks. The 2nd dose was given an average of 4 weeks later. Protection was conferred on 80% or more of newborns whose mothers received their 1st tetanus toxoid injection 60 days or more before delivery. Protective levels were seen in all cord blood samples from infants whose mothers had received their 1st injection 90 days before delivery. Similarly,protective titers were found in 100% of cord blood samples when the 2nd maternal injection was give 60 days or more before delivery. There was no significant degree of protection when immunization was carried out less than 20 days before delivery. A single-dose schedule provided no protection when less than 70 days before delivery. Cord and maternal antiotoxin titers differed by no more than 1 2-fold dilution for almost all of the individual paired sera. A cord: maternal antitoxin ratio of 2 was more likely to occur with increasing time between the 2nd injection and delivery. Overall, these findings indicate that the 1st injection of a 2-dose maternal tetanus toxoid schedule should be given at least 60 days and preferably 90 days before delivery.
The parasites which occurred most frequently in 175 owned or stray dogs in Sabah were Ancylostoma spp. present in 68% of the animals. Dirofilaria immitis occurred in 70% of the adult dogs but neither D. immitis nor Spirocerca lupi were present in puppies under four months of age. The latter attained a prevalence of 30% in the adults. In contrast Toxocara canis occurred in 81% of the puppies but infrequently in older dogs. Dipylidium caninum was moderately prevalent (15 to 25%) in dogs of all ages. Ticks were the most common arthropod parasite being present on 26% of the dogs and were mainly Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Demodectic and sarcoptic mange were confirmed and fleas and lice were also recovered.
Similar HLA association was found in patients with elephantiasis in Sri Lankans and Southern Indians. HLA-B15 was observed in 13/44 (30%) Sri Lankan patients with elephantiasis compared to 1/27 (4%) Sri Lankan controls (p = .0058; RR = 10.9) and in 5/8 (28%) Southern Indian elephantiasis compared to 10/101 (10%) Southern Indian controls (p = 0.04; RR = 3.5). In combining the data, the significance of the difference of the frequency of B15 between patients with elephantiasis and controls was even more marked (p = 0.00045; corrected p = 0.012; RR = 4.4).