Seventy-five adolescent sniffers of organic solvents were investigated to obtain epidemiological and clinical data.
There was no correlation between sniffing and personal or family madical history, but some relation to family circumstances.
The motivation for sniffing seemed to be related at first to pressure by friends or to curiosity, and later to seeking pleasure or relief from discomfort and anxiety.
There was a positive correlation between frequency of sniffing and various abnormal clinical findings, such as specific gravity of whole blood, red blood cell count, appearance of Mommsen's toxic granules in neutrophiles and neurological symptoms.

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The medical records of patients with tuberculosis hospitalized in 1966 and 1967 were investigated retrospectively for the incidence of SMON and the intake of chinoform and other drugs during the same calendar years. Those who were given chinoform for the treatment of abdominal symptoms such as pain and diarrhea lasting for at least a day showed a significantly higher incidence of SMON than those who had similar abdminal symptoms but were treated with other drugs. When the comparison was restricted to those who had had the abdominal symptoms for at least a week, a similar higher incidence of SMON was noted for those treated with chinoform than for those treated with other drugs, but the difference was not statistically significant. It was also demonstrated that five SMON patients whom we observed had been given larger amounts of chinoform than those who had been given chinoform but did not develop SMON. It was remarkable that one patient who had been given more than 200g of chinoform from January to October, 1966, did not develop SMON. None of the 12 drugs used for the treatment of tuberculosis seemed to be associated with the disease.

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The effects of cobalt chloride on various parameters of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism were examined in rabbit heart and liver. Hyperglycemia induced by cobalt chloride acted to elevate the glucose content of the heart, and also elevated the glucose, G-6-P and F-6-P content of the liver in starved rabbits.
Marked elevation of plasma triglyceride levels in cobalt treated rabbits was accompanied by the accumulation of triglyceride in the liver; the triglyceride content of the heart was increased but not significantly, so. Cobalt acted to reduce the elevated concentration of plasma FFA induced by starvation. Plasma FFA might be utilized similarly in both cobalt-treated and starved rabbits to elevate the triglyceride content of the liver and the blood β-hydroxybutyrate concentration.

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In an investigation of the synergistic toxicity of officially permitted preservative food additives, the acute toxicity test and six-months breeding test were used.
Part 1. (Acute toxicity test)
(1) Ten preservatives were chosen from the officially permitted list: (sodium dehydroacetate, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate, propyl p-hydroxybenzoate, butyl p-hydroxybenzoate, salicylic acid, sodium propionate, furylfuramide…2%, furylfuramide…pure). Mixtures of two additives each were administered orally to dd mice.
(2) Mixtures were made in two ways: eqaul amounts of each ingredient and eqaul LD₅₀ doses of each.
(3) In order to evaluate the synergistic toxicity of the mixtures, the theoretical LD₅₀ values of the mixtures were caliculated.
(4) The toxicity of the mixtures was found not to exceed the theoretical values; i.e., it was not synergistic.
Part 2. (Six-months breeding test)
(1) From the preservatives listed in part 1, furylfuramide…2% (F), sorbic acid (S) and ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate (E) were chosen and administered as single doses and in pairs to SD-JCL rats for 25 weeks.
(2) The amounts administered corresponded to about 1/5, 1/10 and 1/50 of the LD₅₀. The percentages of preservatives in the diet were: (F) 4.0%, 2.0%, 0.4%; (S) 3.0%, 1.5%, 0.3%; (E) 2.0%, 1.0%, 0.2%.
(3) Experimental results.
1) During the experimental period, no significant difference was noted in the general appearence, behavior, food consumption, mortality or mean survival times between the experimental and control groups.
2) The weight gain was normal except for a slight delay in the F4%-E2% group.
3) The red blood cell count hemoglobin, hematocrit and white blood cell count were not affected.
4) The results of biochemical serum tests were as follows: the males in groups F4%, F4%-S3%, F2%-S1.5%, and the females in groups F4%, F2%-S1.5%, F0.4%-S0.3%, F4%-E2% and F2%-E1% showed significantly higher total protein and total cholesterol than the control group.
5) The F4% and F4%-E2% groups tended to have enlarged livers and kidneys, and F4%-S3%, F2%-S1.5% and F2%-E1% groups tended to have enlarged livers only.
6) Pathological examinations showed no abnormal findings either macroscopically or microscopically.
(4) These experiments showed no significant synergistic toxicity in mixtures of the above-mentioned food preservatives.

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A copper-constantan thermocouple was implanted in the livers of male Wistar rats, weighing 150-300g, and the liver temperature was measured for 3-4 weeks in unanaesthetized, relatively unrestrained rats.
Under lighting conditions of LD 12:12, liver temperature was high in the dark period and low in the light period. The temperature curves were of three types, and each rat did not necessarily have the same type of curve during the experimental period.
When the light-dark cycle was reversed, the circadian rhythm of liver temperature adjusted to the new lighting regimen in 5-7 days, during which time each period of the rhythm was prololonged.
It was observed that a temporary rise of liver temperature occurred at feeding time, when the latter was restricted to a few hours. After the controlled feeding time was maintained for several days, the liver temperature began to rise just before feeding time even during a fast of 48 hours.
Variations of liver temperature, on the whole, corresponded to the activity of the animal, but the coincidence was not quite complete when the temperature and the activity were observed more frequently. Moreover, after a phase shift in the light-dark cycle the liver temperature no longer paralleled physical activity.
It was concluded that feeding, activity and the light-dark cycle per se were not direct causes of the circadian rhythm of liver temperature; the rhythm must be endogeneous, the light-dark cycle being a Zeitgeber.

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In vibration disease there is damage to the peripheral circulation. This paper describes basic experiments which will hopefully lead to a method of determining accurately the degree of injury.
The peak amplitude in the plethysmogram and the skin temperature of the finger were recorded as indices of the dynamics of the peripheral circulation.
The relationship between the skin temperature and the peak amplitude of the plethysmogram at various room temperatures (14.7-25.9°C) was studied after exposure to water (30°, 20°, 10° and 5°C).
The subjects were 39 females between 18 and 38 years of age.
1. The correlation between the skin temperature and the peak amplitude of the plethysmogram was statistically high, except after exposure to 5°C water. The two measurements appeared to reflect the same circulation dynamics.
2. The correlation between either the skin temperature or the peak amplitude of the plethysmogram and the room temperature was statistically high when there was no exposure to water and 10 minutes after exposure to 5°C water. Consequently it is obvious that circulation dynamics are influenced by room temperature.
3. Significant differences of skin temperature occurred when the room temperature was above or below 23°C. Therefore, skin temperatures must be recorded at room temperatures between 20°C and 23°C, when we want to evaluate circulation dynamics with the use of skin temperature, especially when we evaluate the rate of recovery of skin temperature after exposure to water.
4. The ratios of skin temperatures during and after water exposure to that with no exposure were not significantly different at room temperatures between 15° and 25°C. Thus, the ratios of skin temperatures during and after water exposure at these room temperatures to that with no exposure may well be a valuable index of the health of the peripheral circulation.

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[in Japanese]

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