gloved hand as a thermal sensor during intra-operative peritoneal lavage: is it accurate and reliable?

The gloved hand is the tool used to determine the warmth of fluids used for peritoneal lavage at operation. Is it accurate and reliable? We recruited 24 surgical staff comprising of an equal number of senior and junior abdominal surgeons as well as experienced and junior surgical scrub nurses. We presented to them a simulated scenario of peritonitis due to abdominal gunshot and asked them to produce solutions for peritoneal lavage using double and single pairs of surgical gloves to produce twenty samples of warm saline, each of whose temperatures were independently measured and analyzed. We arbitrarily chose 39[degree sign] C +/- 1[degree sign]C as the target temperature range for peritoneal lavage. We obtained an overall accuracy of 40% in producing saline with a temperature in the targeted range. Temperatures below 36 [degree sign] C and temperatures above 41 [degree sign] C were produced in 41% and 15%, respectively. We found no evidence of significantly superior performance between the groups, however, we found a significant tendency to produce temperatures above 41 [degree sign] C when using a double pair of gloves than when using a single pair. We conclude that the gloved hand is inaccurate as a thermal sensor and should not be relied upon to gauge the temperature of irrigation fluids. We recommend the routine utilization of the microwave oven in the operating room

Effects of quality of water on enteric disorders of protozoal origin

Enteric disorders of protozoal origin i.e. Amoebiasis and Giardiasis are a major health problem in India. They are mostly water-borne. The prevalence of these disorders largely depends on quality of water consumed. The quality of water in India is. still below the recommended standards i.e. zero coliform per 100 ml of water [W.H.O., 1984].The present study, which was conducted in Jamalpur a suburb of Aligarh District [U.P.], included a total of 1270 individuals. The period of study was one year. Water supply in these houses was mainly [89.2%] from standpost. A few have access to piped water supply, The occurrence of Amoebiasis was very high i.e. 20.1% which was found mainly after 19 years of age. The average episode of Amoebiasis in standpost group and piped water group was 3 and 4 respectively.In standpost group majority of sample [87.3%] was contaminated as compared to piped water supply. The morbidity rate was higher in males than in females. The frequency of Amoebiasis was 18.8% and Giardiasis 25.2%. The occurrence of Giardiasis was common in 1-12 years of age and Amoebiasis had no specific group. The frequency according to standpost group and piped water group for Amoebiasis was 15% and 13.1% while Giardiasis 20.1% and 17.5% respectively. Giardiasis was more common in both source of water supply than Amoebiasis. The morbidity rate in standpost group was slightly higher

Chemical analysis of stones in layers- A study of 102 stones at Mayo hospital, Lahore

The chemical composition of 102 urinary stones was determined in layers ['Three or two] by means of a Merckognost reagent kit by Merck, Germany. Out of 102 Calculi, 22 [21.5%] were pure stones i-e Calcium oxalates[19.8%] and uric acid[1.9%] and 80 [78.4%] were a mixture of two or more compounds.Calcium oxalate was the commonest constituent of pure as well as mixed stones