1. (1) The injection of serum prepared especially against strains of typhoid bacilli strong in "O" and "Vi" antigens appeared during the epidemic at Singapore to be of value in the treatment of serious cases of typhoid fever, even at a comparatively late stage of the disease. The time for the routine use of such serum in treatment has perhaps not yet come, but strong indications for its use are severe toxaemia, or failure to improve with general treatment. 2. (2) The absence of eosinophil cells in a differential white blood count is of value in the diagnosis though it is not an absolute sign in either a negative or positive direction. 3. (3) Congenital immunity against typhoid fever appears to be powerful for several years of childhood, in Malaya and presumably elsewhere also. 4. (4) Compulsory inoculation is advocated as a public health measure of protection against typhoid fever in countries where the disease is endemic, but not earlier than the 5th year of age. c 1941
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.
I would like to report the case of a Chinese boy of 5 years old who came to see me with a ball-bearing in one of his ears. Repeated attempts were made to extricate it under general anaesthesia by means of several kinds of aural apparatus, but they all failed. While about to give up hope and hand him over to a specialist, I managed to borrow a pair of magnetic forceps from a radio mechanic. The ball-bearing was immediately attracted to the point of the forceps and drawn out with ease. It would not be a bad idea to design a magnetic aural (or nasal) forceps based upon the above principles with a view to avoiding unnecessary pain and misery to the young victims.