When Mycobacterium lepraemurium is grown on the 1% Ogawa yolk medium, it produces a specific odor. This odor was not observed in other easily cultivable acid-fast bacilli. Therefore, identification of the components responsible for the specific odor produced by M. lepraemurium was attempted. The odor components were extracted for overnight with sterilized and distilled water from the Ogawa yolk medium on which M. lepraemurium had been cultivated for two months. The odor components in the extract was adsorbed on refined charcoal. After washing with distilled water for three times, the charcoal was dried. Then the odor components were eluted from the charcoal with ethanol and the eluate was condensed under nitrogen gas flow at 40°C. The condensate was analyzed by GasChromatography-Mass-Spectrum (GC-MS). Phenylethanol and phenylacetic acid were identified as major odor components. A mixture of authentic phenylacetic acid, its methyl and ethylesters, smelled similar to the odor of cultivated medium of M. lepraemurium. Thus, phenylacetic acid was identified as the key odor component produced by M. lepraemurium. When initial isolation culture of M. lepraemurium from murine leproma was cultivated on the Ogawa yolk medium by adding phenylacetic acid, growth inhibition was brought by the compound.

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In vitro anti-leprosy activities of various anti-microbials were measured by using the BACTEC 460 TB System. The Growth Index reducing activities of test drugs were strong in clofazimine, KRM-1648, rifabutin, clarithromycin and rifampicin; intermediate in sparfloxacin, minocycline and ofloxacin; and weak in ciprofloxacin, fleroxacin and DDS. Amikacin, pipemidic acid, enoxacin and norfloxacin had no such in vitro activities. There is a close correlation between in vitro and in vivoanti-M. leprae activities of a given agent, therefore indicating usefulness of the BACTEC 460 TB System in evaluation of in vitro anti-M. leprae activity of a given agent.

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[in Japanese]

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Harada employed periodic acid-carbol pararosaniline and periodic acid-methenamine silver stain for demonstrating chromophobic bacilli which do not get stained with conventional carbol fuchsin or counter stain, This staining method takes considerable time for complete oxidation with periodic acid, We have succeeded in reducing the oxidation time by using hydrogen peroxide treatment prior to periodic acid and with the use of acidified sodium hydrogen sulfite treatment be fore carbolpararosaniline stain. We also found that in methenamine silver stain, combined use of semicarbazide and microwave treatment can shorten the whole staining time up to four hours without losing ito sensitivity.

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The 18th World Congress of Dermatology Ichiro Kikuchi (National Leprosarium Kikuchi Keifu-En) The 18th World Congress of Dermatology was held in New York in June 1992, during which a symposium on leprosy was chaired by Dr. Bhutani of India. He characterized the spectrum of leprosy and stated that leprosy patients in the world numbered 20 to 15 million, as against the 5, 500, 000 by a WHO report. Azulay of Brazil proposed a concept of the third type of leprosy reaction with autoimmune antibodies following type 1 and type 2 reactions of Jopling. This has aroused a considerable discussion

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Minobu Jinkyo Hospital was established in 1906 by Ryumyo Tsunawaki, who is a Bonze of Nichiren Sect in Minobu Jinkyo-En Leprosy Foundation, in order to extend a hand of assistance to the Hansenites. The characteristic of this hospital was to reduce the tenets of Nichiren to practice with the fervour of Buddhist. In the heart of people, either volunteer staffs or Hansenites, flocked here from various quarters, was fostered the spirit of selfrestraint and/or -government under the influence of the Buddhist Sutra.

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