Melvin E. Jenkins

Ambiguous genitals in a female infant associated with luteoma of pregnancy. Report of a case.

Abstract A female newborn infant with ambiguous external genitals associated with a pregnancy luteoma is described. This association appears to be extremely rare. The mother of the patient demonstrated progressive virilization during her last trimester. Pregnancy luteoma has been observed to occur more frequently in Negroes. The cause of this apparent ethnic predilection is obscure.

Studies into maternal influences on the well-being of the fetus and newborn: I. The distribution of abnormal hemoglobins among pregnant Negro women

Abstract Electrophoretic patterns of the hemoglobin from 524 consecutive pregnant Negro women revealed a 4.77 per cent incidence of sickle cell trait and an incidence of 3.62 per cent among 304 nonpregnant Negro controls. Possible implications of the low incidence of sickle cell trait in both the study group and controls are discussed. Among 36 women with abnormal hemoglobin traits, 25.2 per cent of 139 pregnancies ended in spontaneous abortions. Among normal controls, 239 pregnancies resulted in only 6.7 per cent spontaneous abortions. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of sickle cell trait and possibly hemoglobin C trait in the total picture of spontaneous abortions.

Studies in sickle-cell anemia. II. Clinical manifestations of sickle-cell anemia in children; (an analysis of thirty-seven cases with observation on the use of ACTH and cortisone in two additional cases).

Summary Thirty-seven cases of sickle-cell anemia have been reviewed. The disease occurred in twenty-seven males and ten females. The average age of onset of symptoms was 3.5 years while the average age of first admission to the hospital was 4.5 years. Abdominal and joint pains and anorexia were the most frequent symptoms observed in these cases. Respiratory infections, pallor, icterus, splenomegaly, and cardiac murmurs were the most outstanding physical findings. Some of the clinical difficulties encountered in the diagnosis of sickle-cell anemia are discussed. The parameter test of Winsor and Burch has been useful in the differential diagnosis of this disease. The therapy in these cases was essentially supportive, consisting chiefly of blood transfusions and measures to combat respiratory infections. There were five deaths in this series, representing a mortality of 13.5 per cent. The prognosis in sickle-cell anemia has improved since the advent of modern chemotherapy and antibiotics. Two cases in which ACTH and cortisone were successful in relieving joint pains have been reported. ACTH and cortisone give promise of value in the management of hemolytic crises by controlling severe joint and abdominal pains. Should future clinical observations confirm our preliminary impression regarding the value of ACTH and cortisone in the control of hemolytic crises, the questionable use of splenectomy with its attendant mortality may be discontinued in the management of this disease.

Infantile cortical hyperostosis (Caffey-Smyth-syndrome); report of a case in a negro infant.

Summary A case of infantile cortical hyperostosisin a Negro infant has been presented. The cardinal features of this syndrome are briefly reviewed. There is no effective specific treatment but the prognosis is uniformly good in the mild cases.

Enterobiasis in children; the use of zinc oxide ointment locally as a therapeutic agent.

Summary The use of zinc oxide ointment applied locally to the rectum three times daily and at bedtime in the treatment of pinworms has been described. Eighty per cent of twenty-five children so treated were cured compared to an 89.5 per cent cure rate in nineteen children treated with syrup of piperazine.

Hypothyroidism in Negro children.

Summary Three cases of hypothyroidism in Negro children are reported. Our observations and the paucity of reported cases in Negro subjects indicate that sporadic, cretinism or hypothyroidism is quite rare in children of this racial group.