A study was carried out by the Factories and Machinery Department of Malaysia to assess the problem ofoccupational exposure to inorganic lead in Malaysian battery workers. The eight factories studied were divided into two categories: large, multinational subsidiaries with good industrial hygiene measures and small, locally-owned companies with poor hygiene features. A total of 251 workers (221 males and 30 females) were included in the study. Personal air sampling showed that 47% of the samples in the small factories had lead-in-air levels exceeding 150 ug/m3, compared unth. 29% in the larger establishments. The highest air lead levels were found in the cutting, pasting/mixing and battery assembly sections. 86.7% ofthe female workers and 62.2% of the male workers in the smaller factories had blood lead concentrations above the proposed limits of 70 ug/100 ml (males) and 40 ug/100 ml (females). In contrast, only 7.6% of the male workers in the larger factories had blood lead levels exceeding the proposed limits. Three workers also had positive signs or symptoms on clinical examination. Legislation of specific regulations to protect the health of lead-exposed workers in Malaysia is currently being drafted by the government.
Many trichostrongyloid species parasitizing rodents in Malaysia were described in 1967 in a thesis that was never published. Some of these species have since been redescribed sometimes with, sometimes without reference to the thesis. The remaining species are redescribed using information given in the thesis and certain additional morphological data (in particular, the synlophe) taken from study of the paratypes. The species are reclassified according to criteria established in the most recent classification. The following genera are proposed: Brevistriatinae: - Macrostrongylus n. gen. characterized by a caudal bursa of Calypsostrongylus type and absence of synlophe. Nippostrongylinae: - Malaistrongylus n. gen. characterized by a synlophe of Heligmonoides type but with a larger number of ridges and by the fusion of rays 4 and 5 in the caudal bursa. - Rattus strongylus n. gen. characterized by small, subequal dorsal left ridges and a total number of ridges less than 20. - Sabanema n. gen. characterized by small subequal dorsal left ridges and a total number of ridges greater than 30. The species under consideration are the following: Hepatojarakus malayae Yeh, 1955; Pithecostrongylus bicapitatus n. sp. (= P. bicapitatus Ow Yang, 1967, in litt); Macrostrongylus ratti n. gen., n. sp. (= Macrostrongylus ratti Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); Calypsostrongylus malayensis Durette-Desset, 1976 (= Brevistriata malayensis Ow Yang, 1967, in litt); Fissicauda callosciuri (Supperer et Kutzer, 1964); Fissicauda brevispicula n. sp. (= Brevistriata brevispicula Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (Travassos, 1914); Orientostrongylus tenorai Durette-Desset, 1970 (= Longistriata selangora Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); O. krishnansamyi Durette-Desset et Lim-Boo-Liat, 1974 (= Longistriata malaccae Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); Heligmonoides bulbosus n. sp. (= Heligmonina (Heligmonoides) bulbosa Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); Heligmonoides lanceolatus n. sp. (= Heligmonina (Heligmonoides) lanceolata Ow Yang 1967, in litt.); Malaistrongylus odontospicularis n. gen., n. sp. (= Malaistrongylus odontospicularis Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); Paraheligmonelloides triangulus n. sp. (= Longistriata triangulum Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); P. annandalei n. sp. (= Longistriata annandalei Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); P. rajah n. sp. (= Heligmonina (Heligmonoides) rajah Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); Rattustrongylus odontoconus n. gen., n. sp. (= Longistriata odontocona Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); R. rotundoconus n. sp. (= Longistriata rotundocona Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); Sabanema sabana n. gen., n. sp. (= Longistriata sabana Ow Yang, 1967, in litt.); S. kepongi n. sp. (= Longistriata kepongi Ow Yang,
Five new species, Culicoides cheahi , C. cameronensis , C. perakensis , C. jefferyi and C. fadzili , were described in West Malaysia. They were added to many new candidates for species of the genus Culicoides to be published by Wirth and Hubert from that country, as a part of Southeast Asia, in near future.
Serum human prolactin (hPRL) levels in Malay women during pregnancy, intrapartum and immediately postpartum have been invest£gated by means of a double-antibody radioimmunoassay technique. There was a progressioe rise of serum prolactin concentration from 31.9 ± 10.4 ng/ml in the first trimester to 242.0 ± 24.6 ng/ml at 36 weeks pregnancy unth. the mean values during the second and third trimester of 118.9 ± 12.7 ng/ml and 214.7 ± 10.3 ng/ml respectively. During intrapartum the concentration of hPRL was 191.9 ± 26.9 ng/ml and ithat of immediately postpartum was 178.3 ± 14.5 ng/ml. Suckling of the breast within 6 hours postpartum has resulted in a minor elevation of prolactin level, and this could have been due to the greater basal prolactin level, and/or the ineffectiveness of suckling as a potent stimulus during this period.
This is a report of clinical features of migraine in Malaysians. Seventeen migraineurs were studied with respect to age, sex, length of disease, headache, aura, nausea, frequency, remission, precipitating factors, relieving factors, family history, coexisting symptoms, coexisting disease, and type of migraine. Similarities and differences between Malaysian and Caucasian migraineurs are discussed.
One hundred and fifty two patients were treated for acute renal failure in 1976-1978. Overall mortality was 46 (30.3 percent) and was highest among the surgical patients 15 (51.7 percent) and lowest in patients with outflow tract obstruction 2 (8.7 percent) uncontrolled sepsis was the commonest cause of death.
The total and differential leucocyte counts were estimated in 100 consecutive cases operated for acute appendicitis. Leucocytosis was seen in 52% of cases. 480/0 of patients had a leucocyte count below 10000 per c. mm. A study of the differential count was also made to see if this parameter could be used as a specific diagnostic aid. Though the neutrophil count was high in 74% of the cases, the comparative count among the below 10000 per c.mm. group was not significant. It is concluded that the total and differential counts are of limited value in the assessment of these patients. It is suggested that such estimation be used as a supportive aid only. In those doubtful cases with normal or low counts, frequent clinical reviews should be done and reliance placed on clinical assessment rather than laboratory information.
In Malaysia the steady rise in the proportion of people aged 60 or more, and an awareness of their complex psychosocial, economic and health care needs, have led medical faculties to introduce geriatrics as an essential subject in their curricula. The efforts made in this field by the School of Medical Sciences of the Universiti Sains Malaysia are outlined in the present article.
A total of 101 entomological specimens recovered from human cadavers were processed and studied. Analysis of the data indicated that about 95% of these specimens were maggots of flies. Maggots of the blowfly Chrysomya (Family: Calliphoridae) especially Ch. rufifacis and Ch. megacephala were predominantly found in 77 cases (76.2%) while larvae of several other flies of the genera Sarcophaga, Calliphora, Lucilia and hermetia were also recovered. It was notable that Musca domestica or other related flies were not found in all these specimens. The age of these larvae was useful in the determination of the minimum time lapsed after death. However, more biological studies on animal carcases should be conducted for more accurate determinations. Methods of collection, preservation and despatching of specimens were also discussed.
The Court held that, in determining whether to authorize a Muslim man to take a second wife under Rule 11 of the Malaysia Muslim Marriage and Divorce Rules 1968, an objective test, rather than a subjective test, should be used. It ruled that, whether "a husband is competent to support more than one wife and will be able, if he marries more than one wife, to treat them with equity in accordance with the Muslim law" should be established by objective evidence, not merely by a husband's statement that he can support both wives and will treat them equitably. The Court allowed the appeal of the wife of the respondent against a decision of the Registrar of Muslim Marriages to allow the respondent to take a second wife.
The suitability of physiology topics taught in the first-year dental curriculum needs to be investigated in the light of the view of the present generation of clinical and preclinical teachers, and students. This was studied in the University of Malaya in order to propose a rational physiology curriculum with proper identification of priority topics. Oral physiology, blood and the cardiovascular system were found to be the most relevant for dental students. Among the systems, high and low priority topics were identified and their relative importance is discussed.