Ann A. Browder

The Human Toxicity of Certain Trace Elements

Abstract A review of the medical toxicology of cadmium, cobalt, selenium, arsenic, nickel, copper, manganese, tellurium, vanadium, molybdenum, zinc, and tin; emphasis is on industrial sources of in...

The significance of fever in neoplastic disease.

Excerpt Fever is often a manifestation of neoplastic disease, and the literature is replete with case reports of patients who were febrile for months and even years before exhaustive investigation ...

Mercurialism: environmental and occupational aspects

The recent recognition of mercury as a widespread environmental pollutant has presented practitioners with a new problem whose medical aspects they may be ill prepared to evaluate. Extensive background information on human toxicity is available from studies of the effects of occupational exposures. Such exposures have generally been to concentrations considerably greater than those found environmentally and have been mostly to inorganic mercury or compounds that readily decomposed to inorganic mercury. The organic forms of mercury, particularly the monomethyl mercury compounds, are far more toxic and are the type likely to be encountered in community exposures, as, for example, in foodstuffs. Characteristics of mercurialism originating from the absorption of both inorganic and organic mercury compounds are reviewed, and current problems concerning the risks of human exposure at environmental levels are presented. 149 references, 2 figures.

Variations of the cerebral dural sinuses at the torcular herophili: Importance in radical neck dissection☆

Abstract The cerebral dural sinuses of 215 specimens of dura obtained at autopsy were studied and diagrammed. Particular attention was accorded the anatomic arrangement of the major sinuses that converge to form the torcular. In 57 per cent of the specimens there was free communication between the superior sagittal, the straight, the occipital, and the transverse sinuses at the torcular. In 43 per cent there was maldevelopment of one or more of these major sinuses at or near the torcular. Consideration is given to the clinical import of these variations subsequent to ablation of a part or all of the jugular venous system in the neck.

Narrow and Atretic Transverse Dural Sinuses: Clinical Significance

In 422 specimens of cerebral dural sinuses obtained at autopsy, there were 13 with marked narrowing of a segment of one or the other transverse sinuses, and 11 with absence of a part or all of a transverse sinus. In both groups a variety of compensatory venous channels had formed during embryonal development, apparently serving as bypasses for the partially or completely occluded transverse sinus. A knowledge of the anatomical variances at the confluence of sinuses is important to surgeons who manage patients with inflammatory problems implicating a transverse sinus and those performing radical dissection of the neck for cancer.

Atresia of the rostral superior sagittal sinus: Associated cerebral venous patterns

SummaryIt has been accepted generally that the supperior sagittal sinus takes origin at the foramen caecum. While this obtains in a few, 58 per cent of the cadaver specimens examined have a one-to-three centimeter atresia of the most rostral end of the sinus. In these the veins of the frontal poles of the brain were directed medially and caudally to join in the midline, thus establishing the lumen of the sinus. In instances of more extensive atresia, the anterior superior cerebral veins, as well as those from the infero-mesial poles, all course medially and caudally to form the sinus. In other words, the longer the atretic segment, the more striking the change in venous patterns of the superior and mesial frontal lobes of the brain.RésuméOn admet généralement que le sinus sagittal supérieur naît dans le foramen caecum. Mais 58% des cadavres examinés présentaient une atrésie de 1à 3 cm de l’extrémité la plus rostrale du sinus. Dans ces cas, les veines des pôles frontaux du cerveau se dirigeaient vers le milieu et le bas pour se joindre sur la ligne médiane, formant le lument du sinus. En cas d’atrésie plus étendue, les veines cérébrales antéro-supérieures et les veines des pôles inféro-médians sont médianes et se dirigent vers l’arrière pour former le sinus. En d’autres termes, plus l’atrésie est étendue, plus les modifications des veines sont importantes sur les parties supérieures et médio-frontales du cerveau.ZusammenfassungBei einer Atresie des rostralen Sinus-Abschnitts die mehr oder weniger ausgeprägt sein kann, kommt es zu einer bestimmten Veränderung des venösen Abflusses im Bereich der Frontallappen.

Lead Poisoning from Glazes

Excerpt In recent years sporadic cases of poisoning involving lead leached from glazes have been reported (1, 2). In 1970 two children in Montreal were poisoned, one of them fatally, by drinking ap...

III. Prophylaxis of poststreptococcal sequelae and bacterial endocarditis

T H E appropriate use of effective therapeutic agents for the control of streptococcal infections has made possible the prevention of rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis. Numerous studies have shown that prompt, adequate treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis will prevent the development of these nonsuppurative complications which would otherwise occur in about 3 to 5 per cent of the exposed population?, 2 Although treatment should begin as soon as the infection is discovered, redent work has shown that the promptness of treatment is not crucial. Even if the streptococcal infection has been cl!nically apparent for as long as 9 days and has elicited an antibody response, rheumatic complications can often be prevented by adequate therapy begun at that time. 3 Thus a time lag of 1 or 2 days will not be harmful in cases of pharyngitis

Experimental Pyelonephritis in Rats with Alloxan Diabetes.

Summary Rats with alloxan diabetes were made hydronephrotic and injected with E. coli intravenously. When 107 bacteria was injected, the incidence of pyelonephritis in hydronephrotic and contralateral kidneys was higher in diabetic than control animals. Alloxanized rats without hydronephrosis were also somewhat more susceptible to infection than controls. There was no relationship between degree of hyperglycemia and development of infection.

Screening for diabetes

Abstract The possibility of performing large numbers of blood glucose tests which automation makes available reopens questions about the propriety and priority of screening in this way for diabetes mellitus. Problems in definition of the disease in its early stages and doubt as to the value of early specific intervention with the therapy currently available both suggest exercising caution in the groups of persons to which this testing should be extended.