Much Valuable Data Obtained: Effect of the Depression:
Study of Schistosomiasis Definite progress along all fronts during 1995 is reported by the Henry Lester Institute of Medical Research, which has just issued its annual re Port, Much valuable data has been obtained in the course of the year's working in the various departments the institute, while outside confacts and relations with other institutions have been maintained and strengthened Ina variety of ways, The financial depression has not been without its effect, and it was found necessary to reduce in particular the number of scholarships and. fellow= ships avallable for temporary appointment, It is hoped, however, that Mf the Institute is able to main. tain its regular stof, the general eMeieney "of the work being done will not. suffer, In the clinical division, Dr, B.S. Platt had been able to'show that beriberi was undoubtedly. a disease resenting (biochemical changes in the body fluids characteristic of vitamin BL deficiency, although. this did not explain the' whole of the clinical picture in different types of the disease, The investigation in the division of physiological sciences of factory diets, as presented recently.
a report of work done in col-Jaboration. with the Industrial section of the Shanghai 'Municipal Council, Jed to a great deal of attention from the lay community. 'The Institute definitely feels, however, that. not the function of a research stitute to enter the field of social politics, and this work therefore only, formed' part of a general survey of Chinese diets made In an attempt to unravel the nutritional factor Ju the development of disease. Work on this had been continued on an inten-basis, and this division "had shown through its analyses of the vitamin content of Chinese "foods that instinct and custom, when not interfered with by modern elvilization, provided an adequate amount of these necessary dietetic principles. Common sense also shows this to be fact, as there was no elvillzation which had shown the persistence of China, and this would have been Impossible it diets had always been inadequate, Typhoid Serum the division of pathological science, a definite advance has been made in the analysis of the antigenic structure of the typhoid bacillus and the preparation of serum which 4s already proving its value in the treatment of this prevalent and de-militating disease. Cholera work was continued, and included the system Ale, investigation of regularly collected, water samples from the Whangpoo River and the major creeks, During the past two years, investgation "in this division has been, directed also along two main lines, the "immunological phenomena man and animals. "infected - with schistosomiasis, and. the bionomics of the intermediate host, the Onccmetania snails, An Intezenting pos sibility of destroying the fecundity of these snails by means of single talled cercariae is now being explore 4, and should research indicate any practical possibilities in this eonnecton it might lead to a measure of Dlotogical control of the incidence of the snails. "Investigations go far tend, indicate that schistosomiasis destroys the reproductive power of the nails, and all that is therefore necessary is to find something inoffendive "to man which will' likewise attack the mollusk, Research in this division necessarily entails a great deal of field work, and a number" of collecting, trips were made to Kashing and Soochow for schistosomiasis material, to Shaoshing and. Huchow. for pargonimiasis materials, and to "the Shiaashan district foF fesclolopsiass material, Dressing either a grave condition of
and If possible, preventing the harass Rulritona disorder er alleviating, sing effects of some parasite. Po: sonal advantage has no place In such an altruistic concept, but If such a worker can apply the scientifte method to his work so much the better. Pasteur was a field research worker of the very first order and only retired to his laboratory when it was strictly necessary, was completely or of approach." Some say tis is entirely due to genius, but genlus'Is defined as the infinite capacity for taking pains. Although the Pasteurlad example 1s advocated for Incentive and approach, the statistical method as a useful toot in the Planning and conduct of field observations is recommended. Pasteur used this method instinctively, but being a genius his logic and uncommon sense were developed to such 4 high degree that he could well dis-Dense with any mechanical. approach to his problems.
'The fundamental consideration underlying field research in Ulus part of China is the existence of a huge fertile plain, the delta system of the Yangtze River, with its densely Populated area.' Geographically, the situation 1s favourable for mosquito breeding, owing to. the swampy nature of the plain and the intensive Irrigation system connected with rice cultivation. The result is that' prominent diseases such as malaria and Aliarisis exist, in which the mosquito plays the part of vector.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.