Vol 22, No 11 (1926)

The discovery of the radioactive elements had consequences far beyond the limits of this special field of radioactivity. In medicine, this discovery has already played an outstanding role and promises even greater prospects for the future. Therefore, the elucidation of the biological effects of radium preparations is of great practical as well as theoretical interest. This kind of research is particularly timely at this time.

We know that cholecystitis is often accompanied by pancreatitis. This is evidenced by the frequent finding of the latter during the operation of cholelithiasis and in abductions. Perhaps, this connection is explained by infected bile infiltration into pancreatic tissue. But for diagnostics of pancreatitis we still have no characteristic signs.

The question of how to deal with the abdominal wound in perforative appendicitis with purulent effusion, after removing the appendix and cleaning the peritoneum of pus, is solved differently by individual surgeons: some, apparently, not counting on the absorption and protective ability of the peritoneum, consider it necessary in all such cases to leave the wound open, introducing a tampon or drainage into it: Others, more confident in the resistance of the peritoneum to infection, in the same cases close the abdominal wound completely, and believe that the drainage of the abdominal cavity is not feasible at all (Rotter, Haberer).

Despite the success of asepsis, the clinic gives us more and more cases of sepsis-postpartum and after miscarriage. Its percentage has continued to grow in recent years, and several factors have contributed to its growth. First of all, in spite of the progress of medicine in general, the situation of obstetrical care in our country, unfortunately, has hardly improved recently, especially in the countryside. On the other hand, the experience must have had such an impact on the organism, that it is reasonable to suppose that mankind is now better able to cope with septic infection than, for instance, in pre-war times. Finally, there is another factor contributing to the increase in the number of septicaemias: the artificial termination of pregnancy, which has become much more frequent in recent times and is especially dangerous in the hands of ignorant healers and midwives.

In connection with the works of recent years on the etiology of scarlet fever, the issue of specific serum treatment of this disease has again become acute. The fact that this issue is highly topical is quite understandable, if we take into account the severity of the infection, its numerous complications, high mortality rate and, sometimes, the complete impotence of doctors in the fight against scarlatina.

The classification of skin diseases, despite the successes of dermatology, is still incomplete. There is no single principle that would meet all its requirements, and the confusion that prevailed in the 1960s, not to mention the earlier ones, when, without knowing the essence of most skin diseases, they were grouped only by clinical symptoms, has not disappeared until now. Especially it concerns the diseases close to pityriasis rubra Negae, the characteristic features of which are redness and peeling.

The localistic view of the origin and treatment of diseases, which for a long time prevailed in medicine, particularly in gynecology, especially became firmly established in the second half of the 19th century, when Virchow's cellular pathology, looking for sedes morborum in organs, took over the general medical thought. The brilliant development of surgery, which coincided with the triumphant march of bacteriology, antiseptics and asepsis, did not prompt a reassessment of this view of the essence of disease. Soon, however, a reaction to Virchow's cellular pathology rose. The rich results of serology and gematology, studies on immunity, etc., were difficult to reconcile with the old basic views of pathology. The doctrine of internal secretion and the doctrine of constitutions (Martius) contributed even more to the turn in the views on the essence of diseases.

The author showed experimentally on humans that fasting gastric secretion occurs by psychoreflexive influences. In none of his studies did the author see a higher acidity on an empty stomach than after food irritation.

The author sees a lot in common between bacteriophagy (the phenomenon of dd’Herellе) and the formation of spores in bacteria: both phenomena are similar with respect to bacterial lysis, connection with the life of the latter, stability, elective action of some physical and chemical agents, independence of antigenic properties, group reactions, etc.

The author points out that even pathologists-anatomists very often find it difficult to microscopically decide on the nature of the tbc process. In any case, the current position that productive tbc is benign and exudative is malignant is untenable.

The author observed the course of the tbc process from the time of infection in 13 children under the age of 1 year and in 3 children under the age of 2 years. Five of these children had tbc in their mothers, and 4 had tbc in their close relatives.

The authors found that ultraviolet rays have a drastic effect in pulmonary tbc, in view of which they must be used with great deliberation and the greatest caution, as we cannot yet speak firmly of the type of patients where this treatment is absolutely indicated.

As is known, S. disease (pituitary atrophy) is a consequence of atrophy of the anterior pituitary lobe, and the clinical picture is dominated by the senile appearance of patients (senium praecox), premature termination of sexual functions, and apathetic state. Shereshevsky observed clinically one case of this disease in a man of 28, where the disease developed after an injury, and there was a mixed picture of S. disease with non-sugar diabetes.

The author rebels against the widespread opinion about immobility of pleuritic exudates. On the contrary, the X-ray examination when patients change their position allows to see mobility of exudates.

In recent years, Ehrmann's alcoholic breakfast has increasingly replaced the classic Boas-Ewald breakfast which was used for almost 40 years before. Literature data give conflicting indications as to the values of acidity obtained after the alcoholic breakfast in comparison with Boas-Ewald's.

Based on a study of a large number of ulcer patients, Jarno found a significant decrease in their blood cholesterol (0.06-0.08% instead of the normal 0.1-0.15%).

Nickel-plated and gold-plated objects made of various metals are often used for fixing bone fragments and in bone surgeries, and these objects are left in the tissues.

Based on 46 cases, the author believes that the right inguinal hernia operations in 3/4 of all cases have to deal with the appendix and resort to appendectomy.

The author finds that for fixation of the kidney the most reliable methods are those where the kidney is suspended by the fibrous capsule to the rib with a piece of fascia or aponeurosis of the external oblique abdominal muscle. The normal incision for such nephropexy is an oblique, extraperitoneal incision.

Graaf's vesicles are formed both in the ovaries of female fetuses beginning in the 7th month of uterine life and in the ovaries of girls who have not reached puberty.

Biochemical studies of amniotic fluid in humans were performed by Flössner and Kirstein and could establish there the presence of glycolbetaine, meat-lactic acid, aromatic oxyacids and histidine derivative. Of particular importance is the presence of betaine, which so far in humans has been found only in the fluid of echinococcal cysts.

By studying the ratio of ammonia nitrogen to its total amount in urine, or the so-called ammonia coefficient (A.-C.), the authors came to certain conclusions.

According to the author, stagnation of urine in the upper urinary tract in the last months of pregnancy occurs more often than it was still believed: the expansion of the ureters caused by it occurs on the right in at least 3/4 of all cases of pregnancy, while on the left it is twice less common and much weaker.

Frankl refers to late bleeding as bleeding that occurs a week or more after childbirth and miscarriage. The cause is usually considered to be the retention of the placenta in the uterus.

With the help of specially prepared litmus and special paper, it is possible to diagnose chronic gonorrhea on the basis that a sharply acidic reaction, which remains the same in repeated tests, excludes gonorrhea. The method is inapplicable in cases of acute gonorrhoea and 2 days and 4 days after regurgitation, when the reaction is always acidic.

The author strongly recommends Bayer's product and advises to take a 0.06-0.075 gr. dose instead of the 0.045 gr. dose mentioned by the company.

Based on 5,000 laparotomies, the author formulates the advantages as follows: 1) The transverse incision is best suited to the anatomical and physiological features of the abdominal walls, which results in the best healing. 2) It provides the best protection against intestinal trauma. 3) It prevents the operated woman from developing a hernia even if the wound has suppuration and heals by secondary tension. 4) It eliminates the possibility of rupture of the stitched wound. 5) It gives the best cosmetic results.

Some measles epidemics have mortality rates as high as 45%; the cause of such high mortality is almost always a complication of measles with bronchopneumonia. Bacteriological examination of cadavers of children who died of measles usually finds homolytic streptococcus in all organs.

Meanwhile, just as lumbago was formerly seen as pure myalgia, more recently authors have tended to attribute the occurrence of this disease to arthritic and neuralgic conditions.

During 5 years the author observed 15 cases of this disease. All these cases were subjected to radiotherapy, and while the first four, where the illumination was weak, produced negligible results, the following cases, with deeper illumination, had a generally favorable effect.

The author injected Ca into the blood of patients by means of an electric current, and the Ca thus injected had a general effect and, in particular, affected the work of the heart muscle.

The author describes two cases where he managed to establish paternity this way.

The main peculiarity of the book is that for the first time in the history of scientific physical training it treats the latter not as a preventive method, but as a therapeutic factor. Such an expansion of the scope of domestic physical education is, in fact, a natural consequence of its evolution.

This book collects articles, speeches and guiding reports made at various times by the authoritative inspirer of the Soviet physical culture movement, which has now become such an important factor in the construction of our country. The material reflects the socio-biological foundations of physical culture, its physical and spiritual elements, defines the broad content of physical culture and its role in the struggle for the improvement of labor and life.

The 10th All-Union Congress of Bacteriologists, Epidemiologists, and Sanitary Doctors was convened in Odessa. The choice of the place of the Congress was due to the fact that this year marked the 10th anniversary of the death of the great citizen of Odessa I. I. Mechnikov to whose memory the Congress was dedicated, and the 40th anniversary of the foundation by Mechnikov of the oldest bacteriological station in Odessa, now the Sanitary and Bacteriological Institute named after I. I. Mechnikov. The Congress took place from September 5 to 11 and was unusually crowded, with more than 1,500 doctors attending from all parts of Russia and more than 170 reports submitted.

On October 29, at a public meeting of the Educational Council of the Kazan Medical Faculty, Dr. Z. I. Malkin defended the work presented by the author as a work of high qualifications, under the title "Non-specific therapy". The official opponents were proff. V. M. Aristovsky, N. K. Goryaev and M. N. Cheboksarov.