European standards on height, weight, centres of ossification and date of onset of puberty are not applicable to Asiatic girls in Malaya. " Asiatics " could not be grouped together, racial groups showed differences, especially the three main groups-Chinese, Indians and Malays. Nine tables are furnished showing the average and maximum and minimum heights and weights of the four main groups examined, as well as of some of the minor groups, arranged according to ages from 5 years to 19 years. The conclusion is drawn that the European standard of height and weight is higher than that of any of the Asiatic races in Malaya; a greater difference is noted in the weight than in the height and there is a much greater range in the weight of Asiatics but a smaller range in the height. Onset of menstruation tended to be earlier in the local Asiatic groups than in Europeans. The date of eruption of permanent teeth appeared to be earlier among Asiatic races. No deciduous teeth were found at the age of 12-13 years, the lower second molar was seen in all those examined at that age and the whole lower set was present, excluding the third molar. Earlier efuption of the canine teeth was also noticeable. Details should be consulted in the original by all those interested in medico legal work in tropical countries. P. A. Clearkin.
This paper from the Malaria Research Division, Institute for Medical Research, Federation of Malaya, summarizes the results of studies on the suppression of malaria by synthetic drugs. Such studies began 25 years ago, and, in spite of interruptions in the work due to the Japanese invasion and due to banditry, studies are reported here on the effects of giving mepacrine in doses of 0.3 gm. once a week; proguanil in doses of 0.1 gm., 0.2 gm., 0.25 gm. and 0.3 gm. once a week; chloroquine in doses of 0.25 gm. once a week; and amodiaquin [camoquin] in dosos of 0.4 grn. base once a month. The populations upon whom the studies were made were labourers and their families-Tamils, Malays, and Javanese, on 3 estates in Selangor, and Negri Sembilan, Federation of Malaya, between December, 1946, and February, 1949. Each population was divided into 3 comparable sections, 2 of which received test drugs, while the third received a placebo and so formed a control group. Drugs were issued under the supervision of a Malaria Research Officer. Those people who developed fever wore supervised and treated by a hospital assistant resident on each estate. Thick blood films from such patients were studied. Parasite and spleen surveys were done every 3 months. Malaria transmission was assessed by the incidence of malaria in unprotected infants, who were not given suppressive drugs until after their first attack; and by the results of mosquito dissections. The commonest vectors woreA. letifer, A. maoulatus and A. umbrosus. The results of the tests of suppressivo drugs are shown in a series of tables, charts, and diagrams. Malarial transmission was considered light during the period of these trials. Chloroquino 0.25 gm. base once weekly proved the most effective drug in suppressing malarial attacks. There was little difference between proguanil in various doses, or between proguanil and mepacrine, but these two drugs were much cheaper than chloroquine or amodiaquin. All the drugs reduced the parasite and spleen rates. No significant toxic symptoms were observed with any of the drugs used. S. Bell.
The prospects in Malaya in the immediate future may be briefly summarized as follows : For residual sprays, DDT and gamma BHC, unless some outstanding new compound appears, will continue to be the most widely used. Both kill the principal malaria carrier. Anopheles maculatus and gamma BHC for a short period after application also kills the common nuisance mosquito, Culex fatigans. Though DDT does not kill C fatigans it prevents them from resting in rooms and reduces the number of biting. Both insecticides should eliminate bed bugs Cimex hemipterus during the course of spraying and reduce cockroach infestation. For the elimination of cockroaches and ants from houses gamma BHC is superior to DDT but the effect is short lived. The other residual insecticides, Chlordane, Toxaphene, Methoxychlor and the newer products Aldrin and Dieldrin are not likely to be used extensively in Malaya. They cannot yet be purchased locally and on present indications have no outstanding advantages to recommend them instead of DDT or BHC. Personal protection against scrub typhus infection is now satisfactory. Either DBP or benzyl benzoate rubbed into clothing should prevent the attachment of mites for several days, and DMP is also effective if applied daily to the skin or clothing. The mite population in an infective area can probably be reduced effectively by spraying BHC on the vegetation, but this method of control is not likely to be attempted in many areas. DMP is a good mosquito repellent and forms the main ingredient of several commercial preparations; it is not as effective when incorpora ted in a cream as it is when pure. Of the several simple, efficient remedies now available for head louse and scabies control, gamma BHC in coconut oil is probably the most useful because of its cheapness, ease of application, and effect on both parasites.
This paper records some interesting findings of anophelines resting by day in vegetation In' Malaya. Anophëles maculatus was the commonest species and the majority of specimens were found to have had a recent blood meal, In general few Malayan anophelines are endophilic, so the author instituted systematic searches of vegetation in the vicinity of labourers' lines and cattle sheds on a rubber estate, where breeding sites of A. maculatus in the form of small streams and ravines abounded. Searching was carried out by trained assistants using hand catching with cyanide tubes, and catches on different occasions yielded results varying from 1 to 13 anophelines per man-hour. It was found that the densely shaded banks of streams had a relatively small population of anophelines. Rather they favoured the more open type of vegetation under trees, represented mostly by the common Malayan bracken fern. A. maculatus was by far the commonest anopheline found under these conditions, usually within a few inches of the ground where the bracken was 1-2 feet high and sheltered but reasonably free of access. Of the other 8 species of anophelines found, A. hyrcanus and A. barbirostris were usually found at a greater height from the ground, A. aconitus in more secluded spots and A. philippinensis in vegetation where ferns were replaced by sedges and small bushes. Analysis of the specimens captured showed that there were more than six times as many females as males of A. maculatus. Of these females approximately two-thirds contained fresh blood while the remainder were gravid or unfed indicating that adults in all stages of development make use of the same daytime harbourages. Dissections showed that maturation of the ovaries was complete 48 hours after a single blood meal and this same period appeared to hold good for several other of the species concerned. A. vagus, however, probably completes the whole cycle in 24 hours. Precipitin tests showed that 20 per cent. of A. maculatus had fed on man and nearly all of the remaining 80 per cent. on cattle. Of the other species only 7 per cent. of A. hyrcanus and a single specimen of A. karwari had fed at all on man.
In a Malay school, 150 school boys, all clinically positive for scabies, were divided into three approximately equal groups. The first group was treated with 0.5 per cent γ BHC [' Gammexane'] in coconut oil, the second with 20 per cent emulsion of benzyl benzoate and the third, as a control, with coconut oil. Each group received two treatments with a week's interval between. One week after the second treatment the patients were re-examined for clinical evidence of scabies. The percentage of cases recorded as cured after the two treatments was 48 for γ BHC, 39 for benzyl benzoate and 9 for coconut oil. [This paper is a good example of the danger of estimating the chemotherapeutic value of sarcopticidal drugs on purely clinical evidence.]