Gauze Swabs Research Articles

A submandibular gossypiboma mimicking a salivary fistula: a case report

Retained gauze swabs in the neck have seldom been reported. We present the case of a 27-years-old man who suffered a persistent discharging sinus for 8 years following excision of a right submandibular gland. Computed tomography fistulography was done showing a Blind track ending into a cavity just beneath the floor of mouth. Neck exploration eventually revealed 2 gauze swabs that were tightly packed in the area of submandibular duct. This article further emphasizes the importance of sound operative room practice to avoid this serious problem.

Innovative Techniques: A Novel Technique for Intraoperative Estimation of Breast Implant Size in Aesthetic and Reconstructive Breast Surgery

The estimation of breast implant size in both aesthetic and reconstructive surgery often is a matter of clinical and intraoperative trial and error, with subsequent differences in the resulting postoperative outcomes. Numerous techniques for preoperative estimation of implant size are in current use. However, although such techniques are inexpensive, they often are inaccurate and prone to error on the part of both the surgeon and the patient. Techniques for intraoperative estimation of breast implant size involve either the use of trial sizers or the surgeon's own guesswork based on the preoperative consultation. A novel technique is presented that uses commonly available surgical gauze swabs. The senior author has applied this technique in both aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery for many years. This easily reproducible method is inexpensive and produces reliable and highly satisfactory results.

Clinical trial of calcium alginate haemostatic swabs

The influence of a new haemostatic material on surgical bleeding was evaluated in 100 patients who were prospectively randomized to either normal surgical gauze or calcium alginate swabs used throughout cholecystectomy (n = 40), simple mastectomy (n = 18) or inguinal hernia repair (n = 42). Overall, median (range) blood loss was 91 (3-329) ml for gauze and was significantly reduced by calcium alginate swabs to 72 (2-181) ml (P less than 0.05). Unexpectedly, operation times were also shortened from 45 (17-95) min for gauze to 35 (13-70) min with calcium alginate swabs (P less than 0.02). This reduction in blood loss and operating time was greatest for mastectomy, was still statistically significant for cholecystectomy, but was unimportant in inguinal hernia repair. Calcium alginate haemostatic swabs may become routine in major surgery, particularly where blood loss leads to the need for transfusion.

Diagnosis of retained abdominal gauze swabs.

Journal Article Diagnosis of retained abdominal gauze swabs Get access F X Botet Del Castillo, F X Botet Del Castillo Unitat de Cirurgia Digestiva and Servei de Cirurgia General i Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain Correspondence to: Dr F. X. Botet del Castillo, Sant Ferran 60, lgualada 08700, Barcelona, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar S López, S López Unitat de Cirurgia Digestiva and Servei de Cirurgia General i Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar G Reyes, G Reyes Unitat de Cirurgia Digestiva and Servei de Cirurgia General i Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar R Salvador, R Salvador Unitat de Cirurgia Digestiva and Servei de Cirurgia General i Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar J M Llauradó, J M Llauradó Unitat de Cirurgia Digestiva and Servei de Cirurgia General i Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar F Peñalva, F Peñalva Unitat de Cirurgia Digestiva and Servei de Cirurgia General i Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar R Trias R Trias Unitat de Cirurgia Digestiva and Servei de Cirurgia General i Digestiva, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar British Journal of Surgery, Volume 82, Issue 2, February 1995, Pages 227–228, https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs.1800820232 Published: 08 December 2005 Article history Accepted: 22 June 1994 Published: 08 December 2005

HIPPOS LEAD THE WAY IN MULTIPURPOSE SUN SCREEN

Flick through a fashion magazine this summer and you'll be bombarded with adverts warning against sunburn. In an era of ozone depletion and heightened awareness of skin cancers, many retailers are earning good PR points by stocking only high-factor sunscreen products; complementing their ranges with a multitude of celebrity-endorsed fake tanning lotions and potions. But with millions of pounds already invested in developing the next generation of sunscreen sprays, industry insiders may be more than a little surprised to hear that hippos, not humans, are leading the way in today's most sophisticated sun protection.A recent study by Yoko Saikawa and his team at Keio University and Kyoto Pharmaceutical University in Japan has revealed that hippos produce their own coolant, antibiotic and sunscreen all in one. Chemical analysis of the pigments responsible for the famous hippo blush has solved the mystery behind the ancient myth that hippos sweat blood.Produced by the glands under the skin, and therefore not strictlya sweat, hot hippos secrete a fluid that acts like sweat in helping to control body temperature. The massive beasts live in central Africa, mainly in the Nile Valley, where they spend most of the year under direct sunlight and searing heat. Their `sweat' is produced as a thick clear fluid but turns red-brown within a few minutes of perspiration. This change in colour creates the famous hippo flush over the face, behind the ears and down the back.Noticing that the animals produce more of this sticky substance when lazing on land than in water, scientists began to wonder if the secretion might have other benefits. Eager to discover more about the colourful liquid, Saikawa's team bravely wiped the brows and backs of two captive hippos to collect samples on gauze swabs. The researchers then extracted the chemicals from the liquid, concentrated and purified them, and ultimately isolated two pigments -one red and one orange. Naming the red pigment `hipposudoric acid' and the orange pigment `norhipposudoric acid', the researchers then set out to test the potential antibiotic and sunscreen properties of the fluid.By trying to grow bacteria in the presence of the pigments, the scientists discovered that the red pigment acts as an effective antibiotic. Male hippos are renowned for their aggressive clashes with rivals, and antibiotic secretions may play an important role in minimising battle-won infections.Satisfied at having solved one mystery, the researchers then turned their attention to the potential sun screening function of the `sweat'. By measuring how much of the sun's spectrum is absorbed by the secreted pigments, Saikawa and colleagues revealed that the fluid blocks a good portion of the ultraviolet and visible spectrum (200-600 nm). The researchers conclude that hippo sweat cools the body and protects against both infection and sunburn. Not bad for an ancient lumbering beast.Having unlocked the secrets of the multipurpose hippo flush, scientists may now focus their attention on discovering how the famous red-brown hue is maintained for hours after secretion. Multipurpose and long lasting - this hippo product appears to have it all.

An optimal, cost-effective laparoscopic appendectomy technique for our surgical residents.

Since early 1999, we have implemented a standardized technique for laparoscopic appendectomy, which is simple, safe and easily learned and mastered by our residents. Besides superior ergonomics, it offers cosmetic advantages. It is inexpensive as only reusable instruments are used. It incorporates useful modifications, such as the use of suprapubic ports, inferior approach with repositioning of the videoscope from the umbilical port to the left suprapubic port, laparoscopic gauze swabs and instrument-assisted knotting, as well as skeletonization of the appendix. We analyze the outcome of this technique between January 2000 and December 2002. The overall conversion rate of 713 laparoscopic appendectomies was 8.7%, which is comparable with the "best" rates in international literature. Operative times (mean, 59.0 minutes) and the complication rate (6.7%) compared favorably with previous reports on resident training. In summary, our residents feel comfortable with our standardized approach, while producing acceptable results with low cost.

Listeria monocytogenes contamination of finishing pigs: an exploratory epidemiological survey in France.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen of major concern for public health in industrialised countries. Since L. monocytogenes carriage by pigs at the herd level could be a primary source for carcass contamination, control measures should be designed to reduce the L. monocytogenes load at the pre-harvest stage. For this purpose, an exploratory analytical survey was carried out in 2000-2001 in 93 French farrow-to-finish pig farms concerning L. monocytogenes contamination in pigs before they left for the slaughterhouse. On each farm, the L. monocytogenes status of a batch of contemporary fattening pigs housed in the same room was assessed on faecal material samples taken by means of gauze swabs wiped on the perianal region of the pigs. Fourteen percent of the batches studied had at least one contaminated sample and were therefore classified as L. monocytogenes contaminated batches. Two logistic regression models were used to assess the association between managerial and hygiene practices and the risk of L. monocytogenes contamination of the batch at the end of the finishing period on the whole data set (n = 93) and in the wet feeding farms only (n = 57). Wet feeding during the fattening period was identified as a risk factor for L. monocytogenes contamination. Risk factors related to the introduction of L. monocytogenes in pig facilities were identified for both the general and wet feeding farm data sets. Poor care paid to hygiene on the farms was found to increase the risk of being infected (boots cleaning, change room presence). When the duration of the empty period prior to the introduction of growing pigs was less than one day in the fattening section, the risk of L. monocytogenes contamination was significantly increased. For wet feeding farms, a distribution pipeline cleaning procedure including disinfection was found to be associated with a higher risk of contamination than no cleaning or a procedure consisting of rinsing with water only.

Laryngeal mask airway severed by biting

EDITOR: Complications with both reinforced laryngeal mask airways and reinforced endotracheal tubes relate to compression of the lumen [1-3]. We describe what we believe is the first report of severance of a non-reinforced laryngeal mask airway during emergence from general anaesthesia. A 27-yr-old male weighing 85 kg presented for elective knee arthroscopy. He was fit and well with no previous history of anaesthesia. He smoked 10 cigarettes per day and consumed an average of 10 units of alcohol per week. General anaesthesia was induced with fentanyl and propofol, a size 4 laryngeal mask airway was inserted easily and the patient spontaneously breathed nitrous oxide and sevoflurane in oxygen through a closed circle breathing system. Intraoperatively, he was given intravenous cyclimorph 6 mg for analgesia and ondansetron 4 mg to minimize postoperative nausea and vomiting. Surgery and anaesthesia were uneventful until emergence when the patient was positioned on his left side still breathing through the laryngeal mask airway. The patient raised his right hand to remove his laryngeal mask airway and at the same time he bit down hard and completely severed the airway (Fig. 1). He was not sufficiently lucid to open his mouth to command, which would have allowed us to retrieve the retained portion of the mask from his oropharynx, and he became hypoxic (SPO2 77%). Fortunately, at this moment, he opened his mouth slightly and the retained portion of the mask was removed using a Magill intubating forceps. Oxygen saturation quickly returned to 100%. His teeth were not damaged in any way. The remainder of his recovery period was uneventful and the patient was discharged home later that day.Figure 1: Laryngeal mask severed in half. The cuffed portion was momentarily unretrievable from the patient's mouth.This incident raises a number of important issues. In a previously reported case of problems associated with the reinforced laryngeal mask airway - because the sterilization record could not be found - concern was expressed that the recommended number of 40 usages had been exceeded [2]. However, the sterilization record for the reinforced laryngeal mask airway used indicated that it had only been used 16 times and was therefore well within its recommended shelf life. Furthermore, it has been recommended that bite blocks be used with all laryngeal mask airways on emergence from anaesthesia [4]. This is not standard practice in our institution because we are concerned of the potential trauma to lips and teeth in spontaneously breathing patients. However, Brimacombe and colleagues recommended that suitable bite blocks be prepared by rolling gauze swabs into a cylindrical shape and securing them tightly with adhesive tape to a thickness of 2.5 cm [4]. The Guedel airway has been shown not to be a suitable alternative to a bite block [5]. Finally, the issue of the sensible time to remove the laryngeal mask airway after the end of anaesthesia is undetermined [6,7]. Further work may find an answer to the question whether the laryngeal mask airway should be removed when patients are either deeply anaesthetized or wide awake. The solution may help avoid the occurrence of this rare but potentially serious problem. A. M. Heffernan M. White A. Curran S. A. Colbert The Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Tallaght; Dublin, Ireland

Gauze Packing And Planned Reoperation For Splenic Trauma In The Presence Of Coagulopathy

Although gauze packing and planned reoperation has been documented for the treatment of liver trauma, it has not been described for the management of the ruptured spleen. We document a single case of a grade I splenic injury, which occurred during an emergency subtotal colectomy for a massive lower gastrointestinal bleed. The options of suturing and packing with absorbable mesh failed in the presence of a severe coagulopathy and it became necessary to perform perisplenic packing with large gauze swabs with planned reoperation resulting in a favourable outcome and splenic conservation.

Normal saline wound dressing—is it really normal?

Gauze swabs soaked in normal saline are frequently used as dressing on open wounds. Their exact mechanism of action is not known. This study was designed to assess the hypothesis that normal saline dressings act in part as an osmotic dressing. Ten patients had skin ulcers (n = 10) dressed with normal saline soaked sponges. Acting as controls (n = 10) identical sponges were placed upon intact skin. The sponge fluid osmolarity and electrolyte concentrations were serially assayed to test our hypothesis. In the control group, the osmolarity, sodium and chloride concentrations increased with time as a result of evaporation, altering it from an isotonic to a hypertonic dressing. However, in the ulcer group, the osmolarity, sodium and chloride concentrations in the sponge fluid remained relatively isotonic with time. This result is statistically significant (P< 0.05). We postulate that, as a result of evaporation, the sponge dressing increases its tonicity. This draws fluid from the wound into the dressing so that a dynamic equilibrium occurs and the sponge dressing regains isotonicity. The dressing remains functional provided that the wound fluid is absorbed freely from the wound. This process is terminated when either the dressing completely absorbs the wound fluid or the dressing dries out. The latter often occurs prematurely in a contaminated wound or in a wound where exudate forms a non-permeable barrier which prevents osmosis and allows the remaining water in the dressing to evaporate completely. This correlates with the observation in clinical practice that for maximum efficacy the dressing should be changed regularly.

‘Hemostatic pause’ in pediatric tonsillectomy?

A randomized prospective study was performed on 101 children undergoing dissection tonsillectomy in two different sequences. In the ‘pause’ sequence, a period of inactivity lasting 1.5 min (‘hemostatic pause’) with the Boyle-Davis gag relaxed and the fossae packed with gauze swabs was implemented after the tonsils were excised. Hemorrhage was controlled exclusively by ligatures. The duration of tonsillectomy and the number of ligatures used were accurately recorded. The procedure was identical in the ‘no pause’ group but the pause period was omitted. No reactionary haemorrhage occurred. There was no significant difference in the operating time between the two groups, but the mean number of ligatures required was significantly reduced in the ‘pause’ sequence. We conclude that ‘hemostatic pause’ in tonsillectomy reduces the amount of ligatures needed for satisfactory hemostasis.

Kurdish Relief—a nurse’s view

The discussion of the delivery of health care to Kurdish refugees in Northern Iraq by a Surgical Support Team member from the United Kingdom focused on the inadequacy of supplies and the compensations made in order to provide health care to Kurdish children. Because supplies were provided for the military Marine brigade there were no specialized items for children. This handicap was accounted for by grinding antibiotics and remeasuring to the appropriate dosage for children. The pediatric staff included a pediatrician 2 pediatric nurses 2 midwives a psychiatric nurse and a general nurse none of whom had any relief experience. Blankets were cut down to size. Diapers were created by opening out gauze swabs and wrapping them with cotton wool; plastic sheeting held the diapers in place. Foam sheeting from equipment crates was used as waterproofing on mattresses. Infusion stands were made from string and bent wire attached to metal ceiling struts. Water was either bottled and fit for drinking treated until it was drinkable but nasty tasting or undrinkable stream water. Sanitation was provided in a morning sweep of the floors with a solution of Presept. Handwashing was done in a bowl with dilute chlorhexidine which was changed daily. Presept tablets were used to cleanse reusable items. Childrens medical conditions varied from everyday childhood complaints to gross dehydration and malnutrition. There was oral and perineal candidiasis meningitis kwashiorkor marasmus malaria cholera and typhoid. Corrective surgery on 6-month-old children was performed for hernias and cleft palates. The one case of leukemia was untreatable and referred to a general hospital. Rehydration was performed with intravenous intraosseous or intraperitoneal lines and rehydration salts. Good venous access was not always possible. Incubators were needed but unavailable. Parents were taught and encouraged to help with the administration of oral fluids and medications but there was a great need for constant supervision. A wide cross section of social classes was represented. Those better educated quickly grasped the information while others were confused by instructions. Children arrived by walking or military transport with entire families. Off-duty Marines played with children in mutually satisfying activities but the children did not appear happy even when presented with teddy bears.

Left-sided hepatectomy with a linear stapling device: an experimental study on pigs.

Thirteen pigs underwent resection of the left liver lobe. By random selection, the animals were resected either with the aid of an RLG 90R linear stapling device or by the conventional finger-fracture technique. There was one postoperative death due to anaesthetic complications. The median operative time using the stapler was 27 min (range 19–40 min) which was significantly shorter (p = 0.0065) than that required for resection by the finger-fracture technique (42.5 min; range 37–55 min). The median blood loss, estimated by counting the number of gauze swabs used, was 425 ml and 275 ml for the finger-fracture resected and stapler resected groups, respectively (ranges 275–550 ml versus 175– 300 ml; p = 0.015). The animals were sacrificed and examined one week after the operative procedure. Except for a small bile pseudo-cyst in one pig operated upon with conventional resection, no sign of bleeding or biliary leakage was revealed. This study demonstrates the feasibility of stapling the liver to facilitate resection.

An automated in vitro dermal absorption procedure: II. Comparative in vivo and in vitro dermal absorption of the herbicide fenoxaprop-ethyl (HOE 33171) in rats

Dermal absorption of the 14C-ring-labelled herbicide fenoxaprop-ethyl (FPE; ethyl 2-[4-[(6-chloro-2-benzoxazolyl)oxy]phenoxy]propanoate) was examined after topical applications of the herbicide in either acetone or in field formulation (Excel) to the shaved backs of rats (n = 6) according to our standard in vivo procedure. The total percentage dermal absorption was determined from the mean percentage recoveries of 14C in the urine after correction for incomplete urinary excretion using the recovery figures obtained from intramuscular (im) dose studies (49 ± 17.7% recovery). The mean percentage dermal absorption of FPE applied in acetone at a dose of 1.8 μg/cm 2 was 32 ± 6.8% and was significantly greater than that obtained at the same dose of FPE applied in the Excel formulation (18 ± 4.5%). Increasing the applied dose of FPE had no effect on dermal absorption within the dose-range 1.8 to 100 μg/cm 2; when doses of 10 and 100 μg/cm 2 were applied in Excel, 20 ± 6.7% and 21 ± 4.5% was absorbed, respectively. Mass balance studies with the total percentage recovery in urine (im-corrected) added to recovery from foam patches covering the dose site, and from gauze swabs moistened with soapy water taken of dosed skin 24 hr after treatment, demonstrated only 56 ± 3.7%, 54 ± 3.8%, 56 ± 5.4% and 53 ± 3.9% total recovery for the acetone 1.8 μg/cm 2 and Excel 1.8, 10 and 100 μg/cm 2 treatments, respectively. Significantly less residual 14C activity was detected in the skin swabs taken for the acetone (8 ± 3.5%) than for the Excel treatments (21 ± 6.0%, 27 ± 4.0% and 25 ± 5.8% for the 1.8, 10 and 100 μg/cm 2 dose rates, respectively). Comparative studies conducted at a dose rate of 1.4 μg/cm 2 with our automated in vitro dermal absorption (AIDA) procedure demonstrated no significantly different total percentage dermal absorption in dermatomed skin taken from the same rats tested in vivo at a dose rate of 1.8 μg/cm 2. There was no significant difference between the total percentage dermal absorption obtained for AIDA analysis of fresh rat skin (27 ± 9.3%; n = 20) compared with that for rat skin frozen for 7 days in liquid nitrogen (25 ± 7.6%; n = 19) and the implications of this for tissue storage are discussed.

The influence of calcium alginate haemostatic swabs upon operative blood loss in adenotonsillectomy

Although adenotonsillectomy is regarded as a minor procedure, it has been shown that 18% of patients may experience an operative blood loss of 10-20% of the total blood volume. The aim of this study was to determine whether calcium alginate haemostatic swabs reduce operative blood loss in adenotonsillectomy. Seventy-two patients (ages 2-12 years) entered a prospective trial in which the operation was performed either with normal gauze swabs or calcium alginate swabs. Thirty-six children were randomized to each group. The mean blood loss was found to be 34.9 ml (2.07% of total blood volume) and 47.8 ml (2.97% of total blood volume) respectively. Although there was no significant reduction in operative blood loss using calcium alginate, in both groups the blood loss was much smaller than that stated by the majority of previous workers.

Comparison of gauze swabs and membrane filters for isolation of Campylobacter spp. from surface water

The epidemiology of Campylobacter jejuni indicates that waterborne transmission is important; the organism has been isolated from seawater, fresh water, and estuarine sites. Membrane filtration, with and without use of an enrichment broth, has been the most common method for isolating C. jejuni from water. We evaluated two methods for isolating C. jejuni from water: membrane filtration and gauze filtration. The membrane filters evaluated included 0.22- and 0.45-micron-pore Millipore filters (Millipore Corp., Bedford, Mass.), 0.2- and 0.4-micron-pore Nuclepore filters (Nucleopore Corp., Pleasanton, Calif.), and a 0.45-micron-pore Zetapor filters (AMF Cuno, Meridian, Conn.). The gauze filters included both Moore and Spira swabs. Of the membrane filters evaluated, the 0.45-micron-pore Millipore and Zetapor filters were the most sensitive for recovery of C. jejuni from seeded waters. The 0.45-micron-pore Millipore filter placed in Oosterom broth was better for recovery of C. jejuni from seeded stationary surface waters than either the Spira or Moore swab. However, the 0.45-micron-pore Millipore filter placed on a plate or in enrichment broth was equivalent to the Spira gauze swab when used to examine water from Atlanta area streams. C. jejuni organisms were isolated from 9 of 24 surface water samples representing 5 of 12 streams.

Salmonellae as an Index of Pollution of Surface Waters

Screening enrichments of surface water specimens by means of a polyvalent fluorescent antibody reagent for the salmonellae yielded approximately 60% more positive specimens than was obtained by cultural procedures. It is not known what fraction of the excess of fluorescent antibody-positive over culturally positive specimens represents staining of non-salmonellae or non-arizonae as opposed to the staining of non-cultivatable organisms of these two genera. Cotton gauze and rayon-polypropylene fiber swabs were equally sensitive for collecting salmonellae from the streams examined. Tetrathionate enrichment incubated at 41.5 C appeared to be superior to selenite-cystine for isolation of salmonellae from surface waters. Twenty-eight serotypes of Salmonella and two serotypes of Arizona were identified in the 121 positive specimens. In water rated moderately polluted, 65% of all specimens tested were positive; in minimally polluted waters, 38% were positive; and in unpolluted streams, 44% were positive.

Factors Influencing the Incidence of Postoperative Abdominal Adhesions: An Experimental Study

The incidence of fibrinous intestinal adhesions following laparotomy in rats was increased by removing the intestines from the peritoneal cavity. This incidence was not significantly influenced by placing the intestines either in sterile plastic bags or in gauze swabs soaked in normal saline. The incidence of plastic adhesions in laparotomy wounds closed without suturing the peritoneal layer was less than when this was sutured. The use of non‐absorbable silk sutures when compared with that of absorbable catgut made no difference to this incidence, nor did the use of interrupted sutures as opposed to continuous.It is postulated that the presence of sutures in the peritoneal layer would cause a prolonged defect in serosal cell cover which could result in a reduction of fibrinolysin activity of serosa cells at that site. The suture material would also offer a site of protection of an immature fibrinous adhesion from adjacent serosa cell fibrinolytic activity. Such conditions would facilitate organization of an otherwise temporary and reabsorbable immature adhesion into a permanent mature fibrous structure, as has been observed in long‐term studies following the use of non‐absorbable suture material or talcum powder in the peritoneal cavity.

Sewer and drain swabbing as a means of investigating salmonellosis.

The use of gauze swabs in drains or sewers to clarify the path followed by a salmonella from source to human host has been reviewed in the light of experience gained in Cardiff over 15 years. This period has seen a marked change in attitudes to salmonella epidemiology in that infected food is now regarded as of greater importance than infected food handlers. In these 15 years, butchers, abattoirs and knackers' yards, markets and bakehouses have been monitored. In the bakehouse survey the existence of staff infection was demonstrated by sewage examination. Sewage investigation has also been used to show frequent entry of salmonellas into households in a residential estate. The estate was carefully chosen to exclude salmonellas from industrial sources and shops. The frequent finding of infection in this sewage implies that a commonly consumed heavily infected food item is involved. The wide range of serotypes isolated suggests an animal usually fed on infected animal feed. Poultry and pigs are put forward as animals liable to spread salmonellosis to man.It is hoped that clarification of the salmonella pathway may eventually lead to measures likely to prevent the transmission of infection to man. It is also suggested that swabs placed in abattoir drains serve as an economical method of obtaining warning of a persistent build-up of contamination. The persistence of a serotype in an abattoir is not infrequently followed by human infection.

A study on sampling and isolation methods for the detection of virus in sewage

Dip samples were found inferior to swab samples especially for detecting virus in sewage plant effluents. Sponges exposed for 24 hours were found at least as efficient as 48 hours' swabs and as gauze swabs. Double sampling revealed many virus mixtures. The two-hour adsorption technique by the inoculation did not reveal more virus positive samples than one fifth the volume, which was not removed. Two blind passages were found useful, and as single celltype for isolations HeLa cells were found superior to monkey kidney cells.