Studies with the copper sulfate specific gravity method of blood analsis: II. comparison with a standard method and a micro method of hemoglobin determination

1. Hemoglobin values obtained on 60 blood samples with the CuSO(4) specific gravity method showed no significant difference from parallel determinations using Ponders a of Wongs standard method2. Evelyns micro method of hemoglobin determination gave significantly higher results than those obtained by the CuSO(4) specific gravity method and the modified Wongs method3. The nomogram devised by Van Slyke et al. is applicable to the Filipino subjects in this study. (Conclusions)

Studies with the copper sulfate specific gravity method of blood analysis: I. hemoglobin, hematocrit and plasma protein values of normal Filipino students

1. Hemoglobin, hematocrit and plasma protein values calculated from the specific gravities of plasma and whole blood determined by the copper sulfate method in 85 normal male and 30 normal female Filipino students are reported2. The mean hemoglobin is 15.78 +/- 0.97 Gm./100 ml. for males; 13.83 +/- 0.70 Gm./100 ml. for females. The mean hematocrit value is 46.63 +/- 2.84 volume % (cells) for males and 40.97 +/- 2.24 volume % (cells) for females. The mean plasma protein concentration is 7.44 +/- 0.40 Gm./100 ml. for males and 7.41 +/- 0.31 Gm./100 ml. for females, with a mean of 7.435 +/- 0.38 Gm./100 ml. for all subjects3. The values obtained in this study are compared with values previously reported for normal Filipino adults and with values given by foreign authors for normal adults of other races4. The fact that our hemoglobin and plasma protein values are higher than any reported by previous workers on Filipino adult subjects indicates the need at present for a re-evaluation of our physiologic standards. (Summary)

Studies with the copper sulfate specific gravity method of blood analysis: III. comparison of hematocrit values with Wintrobes method and a micro method of determination

1. The results of hematocrit values of 44 healthy Filipino adults determined by the copper sulfate specific gravity method, Wintrobes method, and the micro method of Natelson et al. were presented2. The hematocrit values obtained by the copper sulfate specific gravity method showed no statistically significant difference from those obtained by Wintrobes method. The nomogram by Van Slyke et al. has been proved valid for the healthy Filipino adults in this study3. The hematocrit values obtained by the micro method of Natelson et al. were significantly higher than those obtained by Wintrobes and the copper sulfate specific gravity method. (Conclusions)

The serum sodium and potassium values in normal Filipino students

The sera of ninety-one normal Filipino students from 17 to 24 years old were analyzed for sodium and those of eighty-five for potassium by flame photometry employing the internal standard method. The actual ranges, the ranges of 95% of the cases, their averages and standard deviations are presented. The frequency distribution of the cases is given for both serum sodium and serum potassium valuesThe precautions in the preparation of glassware used in the sampling and analysis of sera, those to be observed when obtaining the samples and the internal standard method of flame photometry for the determination of serum sodium and potassium are described. (Summary)

The teaching of nutrition in medical schools

Heretofore, the teaching of nutrition in our medical schools has been fragmented into the various preclinical and clinical subjects, notably biochemistry, medicine, pediatrics and preventive medicine, but nutrition aspects of each discipline have been so integrated in the teaching that it has lost much of its identify and its impact on the students as he goes through the medical curriculum. The lack of a coordinating mechanism seems to be a problem that cries for solutionA review of reports on the teaching of nutrition in medical schools and the steps that have been taken to improve and evaluate it in the United States is given to add to the background of the discussion of our own problem of producing properly oriented physicians who can contribute to the effort to respond to the health needs of our country, chiefly that of nutrition. Suggestions to accomplish this objective that have come up during the discussions in the Second National Conference on Medical Education in May, 1972 under the auspices of the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC), are summarizedAn educational program with special emphasis on nutrition in one medical school in this country is cited to show how local facilities can be utilized for effective teaching and learning. There remains the need for the development of proper evaluation methods which can be applied to all the medical schools as they make changes to improve nutrition teaching. (Summary)

The sodium and potassium content of Philippine foods I. foods of plant origin

The sodium and potassium content of 282 samples representing 218 different foods items and six samples of water are presented in two tables. Our results on 38 food items are compared with two studies by American workers in a third tableIn agreement with findings in the United States, our results show that our foods of plant origin generally have low sodium content. Most of them have less than 10 mg of this mineral per 100 gm. edible portion. This is especially true with fruits, shoots, vegetables flowers, vegetable fruits and legumes and unprocessed cereals. Wider variations (from 1 to more than 1000 mg. per 100 gm edible portion in a few items) were observed among the leafy vegetables, vegetables roots, bulbs and tubers, the pulses, nuts and seeds and the starches, sugars and syrupsOn the other hand, the potassium content generally was more than a hundred mg. sometimes above one thousand mg. per 100 gm. edible portionComparison with two studies of american authors using the same experimental methods also brings out the fact that despite the relatively big differences in individual values for severals items, the foods studied which are of plant origin have low sodium and high potassium content Our public water supply to the city of Manila and its suburbs has low sodium and potassium content. In contrast to this, one sample obtained from a deep well 300 feet from the shore line of Manila Bay gave high sodium and potassium values. (Summary)

The serum and potassium values in normal Filipino students

The sera of ninety-one normal Filipino students from 17 to 24 years old were analyzed for sodium and those of eighty-five for potassium by flame photometry employing the internal standard method. The actual ranges, the ranges of 95% of the cases, their averages and standard deviations are presented. The frequency distribution of the cases is given for both serum sodium and serum potassium valuesThe precautions in the preparation of glassware used in the sampling and analysis of sera, those to be observed when obtaining the samples and the internal standard method of flame photometry for the determination of serum sodium and potassium are described. (Summary)

The efficiency of indigenous foods in replacing milk in a feeding program-a study in Barangay San Antonio, Tondo, Manila

A study on 323 children belonging to the second and third degrees of malnutrition was done to test the effectivity of indigenous food supplements in replacing milk in a feeding program in Tondo. The subjects were divided into three groups of around a hundred each and were given different food supplements as specified under Cycles I, II, and III. Cycle I served as control in which the diet contained 20 g powdered milk per child. Cycle II had as diet with 10g milk and indigenous food items to supply the protein and other nutrients of 10g milk, and Cycle III had a diet with no milk but with indigenous foods supplying protein and other nutrients equivalent to 20g milk. Our results in Cycle II were equivocal, but those from Cycle III, showed a marked superiority of the indigenous foods in rehabilitating the childrens nutriture in terms of body weight gains. Since there were other extraneous factors that came, into play during the conduct of cycle III, another feeding cycle with the same dietary supplements as in cycle III was conducted which confirmed our results in Cycle III. It is concluded that indigenous protein-rich foods can effectively take the place of milk in feeding programs for rehabilitating malnourished children, provided that the nutrient content of the total diet is taken into consideration in relation to the needs of the children. (Auth)

The sodium and potassium content of normal human hearts

Forty-four hearts, showing no signs of hypertrophy or disease, were selected from persons dying suddenly from accidental, suicidal or homicidal causesSamples from each heart were obtained from the right ventricle and from the epicardium (outermost 1-2 mm. portion) and endocardium of the left ventricle. These samples were analyzed for sodium and potassium by flame photometry, after being freed of all removable fat and blood vessels. The results were expressed in mEq 100 Gm. of fat-free and water-free tissueThe left ventricle had significantly (15 per cent) more potassium than the right; while the right ventricle had significantly (30 per cent) more sodium than the left. The left ventricular epicardium had significantly more sodium than the endocardium, but an equal concentration of potassiumThe higher sodium concentration in the outer ventricular layer (epicardium) was interpreted to mean that this area probably had relatively more extracellular fluid as a result of the squeezing action of the intramyocardial pressureThe higher sodium content of the right ventricle was thought to be due only partly to a greater amount of extracellular space. The possibility that some of this sodium in the right ventricle must be intracellular could not be eliminated because of the lower potassium content of this ventricle and the previous studies demonstrating a reciprocal relationship between these ionsThe difference in potassium content between left and right ventricles was considered to indicate a difference in the potassium of the muscle cells themselves, and consequently, as a reflection of differences in cellular metabolism and activity. Some physiologic qualities of the normal right ventricle that differ from the left ventricle were cited as possible effects of these cellular chemical differences. (Summary)