8
REPORT OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY
organism in several cases of chronic rheumatism. The following case is of inter
-est in the success achieved. The patient aged 45 had suffered for about 10 years
from chronic inflammation of a maxillary antrum which was being treated
surgically off and on with temporary relief. One year ago he developed acute
pains in the joints chiefly in the hip. In October 1929 his condition became much
worse and he sought the help of a vaccine. M. deformans was isolated from the
purulent discharge from his antrum and made into a vaccine, which was given first
in small doses of 5,000 organisms, and which was then worked up slowly in 6
months to doses of a million at a time. As a result of the treatment he improved
considerably and has since left for Europe. Whereas he used to arrive at the
Institute bent double and walking with difficulty he finally went away riding a
motor bicycle.
(3) Specimens examined. —Table XII shows their varied nature. Apart from
specimens for the Wassermann and allied reactions the number is about the same
as last year. The following findings are of interest
: —
(a) Indian Tick Typhus—A case from the Railway Hospital, Trichinopoly.
There were typical signs and symptoms of Typhus, viz., Pyrexia for about 10
days, an early typhoid condition and a persistent rash that had appeared on the
fifth day. Cultural and serological tests were negative for the Typhoid group ;
but the Weil Felix reaction was positive in 1 in 200, the strain used being B.
Proteus. R.A.M.C. X, 19.
(b) A case of malignant endocarditis terminating fatally—B. coli
(Eseherith) isolated from blood.
(c) A fatal case of puerperal sepsis—B. enteritidis Gaertner was isolated
from the blood.
(d) A case of conjunctivitis—C. diphtheriae was proved to be the causative
organism.
(e) A case of fever during the puerperium—Para-typhoid C was isolated
from the blood.
( f ) Infective Granuloma—Smears from two cases showed Klebseilla
Granulomatis—see photo.
(g) A patient sent by Lt.-Col. R. E. Wright, I.M.S., suffering from general
weakness and disturbance of accommodation following a sore throat gave cultures
from the throat suggestive of recent diphtheria. Anti-toxin quickly relieved the
eye and general condition.
(h) Unusual course of a Colloid Carcinoma of the Fallopian Tube :—On
7th March 1930 a small piece of tumour cut out post-mortem from the thigh of a
female patient aged 70 was received for diagnosis. About 2½ years ago the
patient seemed to have suffered from what was at the time thought to be rheuma
-tism in the upper part of the right thigh. A year later a hard immovable deep
- s e a t e d t u m o u r i n t h e f e m o r a l r e g i o n w a s o b s e r v e d . T h e t u m o u r b e g a n t o e x t e n d
more and more downwards until the whole thigh got infiltrated and swollen.
The interesting feature about it was that sections from the tumour showed the
histological structure of a colloid carcinoma of the Fallopian tube under
- g o i n g m y x o m a t o u s d e g e n e r a t i o n . J u d g i n g f r o m t h e h i s t o r y , t h e t u m o u r i n s t e a d
of normally occupying the pelvis and abdomen must have burrowed downwards
into the thigh and simulated a primary tumour of this region.
(4) Wassermann Sub-section :—(a ) Assistant Surgeons Y. S. Narayana Rao
and B. Timothy have been in charge, each for six months at a time.
( b ) Wassermann tests. —There has been a very great increase, 25,098 tests
as compared with 16,081 last year an increase of about 50 per cent. This has
been in no way due to the facilities afforded by Government to Madras Medical
Practitioners in the reduction of the fee to Rs. 5 for they have sent only 142
specimens. The increase has been almost entirely due, firstly and mainly to the
larger number of specimens received from the venereal departments of the larger
hospitals particularly in Madras, and secondly to work done for the Still-birth
Inquiry of the Indian Research Fund Association under Dr. Thompson.