[Legal questions in the prevention and control of AIDS with special reference to the area of responsibility of the public health service]. / Rechtsfragen bei der Verhütung und Bekämpfung von AIDS unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Aufgabenbereichs des öffentlichen Gesundheitsdienstes.

AIDS has stimulated public interest in the legal aspects of the Federal German Law on Epidemic Diseases. Publications do not always accurately describe the legal situation. Land governments should have paid more attention to the provisions restricting the use of disinfectants to certain approved products. Some regulations enforced by Federal government are even null and void because they have overlooked relevant passages in the Federal German law. Although on principle Public Health offices are expected to conduct investigations regarding AIDS infection of certain persons, circumstantial evidence or suspicions are usually insufficient so that action cannot be taken or is mostly unnecessary. Coworkers in AIDS counselling bureaus of Public Health offices are not obliged to testify or to make a deposition in court, not even if they are government officials. Non-medical officials or coworkers can undertake some aspects of counselling work on their own responsibility.

[Coincidence of silicosis and sarcoidosis. 2. Relations between silicosis and sarcoidosis as well as forensic consequences]. / Zur Koinzidenz von Silikose und Sarkoidose. 2. Mitteilung: Zusammenhänge zwischen Silikose und Sarkoidose sowie gutachterliche Konsequenzen.

The observation of a coincidence of silicosis and sarcoidosis (see the 1st Communication) raises many problems on the pathogenesis of both diseases, their possible causal connections and not last the medical judgement. The mutual influence of both diseases is not discernible in the particular case. Pathogenetic connections derived from mentioned examples of coincidence of silicosis and sarcoidosis stay hypothetical, because its experimental confirmation cannot be realized. Within the medical judgement of the coincidence of silicosis and sarcoidosis the differentiation of injury caused only by silicosis must be tried. If that is not possible, the whole bodily injury must be imposed to silicosis to protect the patient from a disadvantageous expert opinion. The professional activity of patients with sarcoidosis in an atmosphere of quartz dust is not permissible, because the momentary injury of tissues of lung and lymph nodes as well as the prognosis of sarcoidosis are not definable with the actual available methods, but it is safe to say, that silicosis is an additional danger to the patient.

[Critical position on indications for selective proximal vagotomy without drainage]. / Kritische Stellungnahme zur Indikation der selektiven proximalen Vagotomie ohne Drainage.

In 128 patients with chronic duodenal ulcer the selective proximal vagotomy without drainage was carried out in a prospective study. Intraoperatively the test for completeness of the vagotomy was performed by means of the dye test in 50%. Postoperatively no lethal complications were to be seen, only three bronchopneumonias and one wound rupture. The late results after one year showed 77.5% Visick II, 10% Visick III and 12.5% Visick IV. After a successless conservative treatment of the 16 patients with recidivation in 10 patients the second operation had to be performed. In 6 of 10 patients pylorus stenoses were found in the operation preparation. The selective proximal drainage is an unsuitable method for pre- and intrapyloric ulcers. The intraoperative application of dye tests had no influence on the rate of recidivations.

[Coincidence of silicosis and sarcoidosis. 1. Observations in a selected patient sample]. / Zur Koinzidenz von Silikose und Sarkoidose. 1. Mitteilung: Beobachtungen an einem ausgewählten Krankengut.

In a group of 1,975 patients with sarcoidosis we observed 11 patients with an additional histologically proved silicosis and 4 further patients with a silicosis found out by X-rays. In 57 other patients of this group we could only state a professional exposure to quartz dust. In this 1st communication we point out casuistries of literature, own experiences, possibilities and necessaries for a secure diagnosis of a coincidence of both diseases without regards of causal and pathogenetic connections. The physician at the hospital will take the last responsibility for diagnosis; it is based as a rule on X-ray-series. Most reliable and uncontradictedly recognized diagnosis of coincidence of silicosis and sarcoidosis is got by histological examination of lymph nodes and lung tissue obtained by microthoracotomy.