Cryosurgery of genital warts in cases in which podophyllin treatment failed or was contraindicated

A total of 56 cases with warts in which podophyllin treatment was either contraindicated or a failure, were treated with nitrous oxide using a Keymed 500 cryosurgical appliance. Forty-three patients who completed treatment were followed-up for three months. Thirty-seven of these had received applications of podophyllin twice weekly for an average period of three months before cryosurgery. The remaining cases in whom podophyllin was considered to be contraindicated included five with vulval warts (two were pregnant, two were bronchial asthmatics taking oral prednisolone, and one was taking oral clomiphene citrate), and a diabetic patients with penile warts. Thirty-two were cured and 11 relapsed. The latter were re-treated at the end of the follow-up period with two freezing cycles of 45 seconds at an interval of 30 minutes. Seven were cured and the remaining four men who failed to respond belonged to the podophyllin-resistant group and included three with metal warts and one homosexual with anogenital warts. Cryosurgery gave a cumulative success rate of 91%. A single freezing cycle was free from complications but a double freezing cycle was often followed by severe local reaction.

A population genetic study of the Kota in the Nilgiri Hills, South India

A population genetic study among the Kota of the Nilgiri Hills, South India, involved tests for abnormal haemoglobins, 5 red cell antigen systems, 4 serum protein and 13 red cell enzymes systems. Twelve systems are invariant in the Kota. The most distinctive characteristics are extremely low frequency of the A1 gene and complete absence of A2 in the ABO system, r(cde) in the Rh system, LDH cal-1 among the enzyme systems as well as absence of abnormal haemoglobins. A comparison of gene frequencies in those systems, which show variation, suggests that the Kota are more similar to the Toda than to any other tribal or caste population of the area. Genetic distance as well principal component analysis also reveals that the Toda and Kota are close to each other, in agreement with tradition.

Early postpartum tubal ligation under epidural analgesia

Tubal ligation under epidural analgesia in the early puerperium (within 10 hours of delivery) was attempted in 51 patients who had an epidural block established during labour. The results are described. No major difficulties were encountered.

Concentration technique for determination of air pollutants at sub-micro level. A new technique for concentration of carbon monoxide

The advantages, scope and limitations of a step-wise technique for concentrating permanent gases, particularly carbon monoxide, up to 2000 times before gas chromatographic, spectrophotometric or mass spectrometric determination are described. Determination of less than 0.01 ppm of carbon monoxide has been carried out with an error of +/-10% by using this pre-concentration technique, followed by gas chromatography, with catalytic conversion of the carbon monoxide into methane before flame ionisation detection. The system used without pre-concentration could not detect less than 1 ppm of carbon monoxide.

The Kota of the Nilgiri Hills: a demographic study

A population–biological study of the Kota of the Nilgiri Hills was undertaken between May 1966 and January 1968. This paper discusses the demographic structure of the tribe and its genetic implications.

The Kota is a small tribe of 1203 individuals distributed in only seven villages; it is an isolated population with a low rate of fertility and a high rate of infant mortality. The Kota is not a random mating population. The rate of consanguineous marriages is high and the coefficient of inbreeding is almost equal to the highest recorded value. Besides cousin marriages, marriage within the village is very much preferred. The admixture rate (0·29%) among the Kota is very low. The effective population size is only 28·87% of the total population. The coefficient of breeding isolation is 1·01, which indicates that genetic drift may produce important differentiation in this population. The data show that selection is acting with moderate intensity in this population.

Tabes dorsalis with sudden onset of paraplegia

A case is presented of tabes dorsalis with spinal gumma producing collapse of the L5 vertebra followed by paraplegia.

Studies on proteinase level in gastrointestinal tract and digestive glands in pyridoxine deficient animals

Proteinase activity was detected in different parts of the alimentary tract and digestive glands. In control group, the enzymatic activity is predominant in duodenum and pancreas and quite small in oesophagus and intestine. A significant lowering of the enzymic activity was detected in all the organs in pyridoxine deficient animals. The enzymic response was found to be similar in both control and isonicotinic acid hyarazide (I.N.H.) with extra pyridoxine fed animals.

Permeability and enterotoxic factors of nonagglutinable vibrios Vibrio alcaligenes and Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Enterotoxic factor (EF) was present and could be developed in nonagglutinable vibrios, but not the permeability factor (PF). Presence of PF without EF in Vibrio parahaemolyticus is significant. Both EF and PF were absent in V. alcaligenes.