A Simple method of concentration of leprosy bacilli from closed cases of leprosy

I. A method is described for the demostration of leprosy bacilli in lesions of neuromacular cases of leprosy, bacteriologically negative by the routine 'slit' method of examination. 2. The method consists of extracting with chloroform the few leprosy bacilli present in such lesions by taking a biopsy from the macules, cutting it into small pieces, mincing, grinding with minimum amount of chloroform, it into small pieces mincing, grinding with minimum amount of chloroform, and examining smears from the chloroform extract for the presence of bacilli. 3. Out of 53 neuromacular cases bacteriologically negative by the 'slit' method, micro-organisms morphologically resembling Myco. lepra were found in 51 by this method. No such bacilli were found in the 6 control cases similarly examined

Thiosemicarbazone in the treatment of leprosy

(I) The previous work with thiosemicarbazone in the treatment of leprosy is summarised. (2) Siocarbazone brand of thiosemicarbazone has been used in 52 cases of leprosy, 9 untraeded neural cases, 27 untreated lepromatous cases and 16 previously treated lepromatous cases, 15 with sulphones, and I with hydnocarpus oil. The duration of treatment has from 2 months to 16 months with an average of I0 months. (3) The patients have stood the drug well and there has been satisfactory clinical and bacteriological response. In addition to usual therapeutic affects, special features with thiosemicarbazone treatment have been the complete or partial restoration of sensation in the anaesthetic patches and in the limbs with polyneuritic type of anaesthesia, replacement of deseased nails by new ones, and growth of new hair in depilated areas. Considering the short period of treatment those features are rather remarkable. (4) In the toxicity of thiosemicarbazone seems to be less than that of the sulphones specially in relation to its effect on the haemopoietic system. However, the thiosemicarbazone is not as free from toxicity as described by some workers eho have used it in leprosy. A special kind of toxicity which indicates specific intolerance has been noticed and this has been manifested by sudden rise of temperature even after small doses of the drug

Prognostic value of the lepromin test

1. A study been made of the progress of the disease in relation to the results of the lepromin test, in 160 cases of leprosy (109 neural, 46 lepromatous, and 5 of doubtful classification) first tested six years ago. 2. the prognostic value of the test is best illustrated in cases of the neural type. Of the 109 cases of the neural type lepromin test was positive group, improvement was seen in about 84 per cent of the cases. In the disease becoming worse in only 14 per centin the lepromin-negative and doubtful group improvement was seenonly in 53 per cent of the cases the disease becoming worse in 47 per cent. In only one case has the disease changed from the neural to the lepromatous type, and this occurred in a lepromin-negative case. The degree of positivity of the test also influence the prognossis of the 92 lepromin-positive neural cases 20 had strongly positive 49 moderately positive and 23 weak positive reactions

Intradermal tests with antigens prepared from the urine of cases of leprosy

1. A description is given of intradermal reaction of Berny and Mauze in cases of leprosy with extracts prepared from the urine of bacteriologically positive cases of leprosy. 2. Extracts prepared according to the method of Berny and Mouze from non-reacting bacteriologically positive cases of leprosy have not produced any reaction in all the lepromatous and most of the neural cases tested. Extract from the urine of one lepromatous case in the lepromatous cases tested. This however, was not a constant feature since extract from another reacting case produced reactions in only a few of the neural and none of the lepromatous cases tested

Epidemiological and clinical studies of leprosy in the Bankura of Bengal

1. The incidence, type distribution and age distribution of cases of leprosy have shown little change during the six-year period under review. In spite of the absence of ony effective isolation measures there is no evidence that leprosy is increasing in the area. In this area as in ther similar areas, statements have frequently been made that leprosy is rapidly increasing. Our study lends no support to this idea 2. During the period under review 83 cases have died 31 lepromatous and 52 neural. The lepromatus type of leprosy is associated with a higher death rate and shorter life than the neural type