129
116
-
practitioners who are unfamiliar with modern work on precipita- tion tests. The personal experience of the writer extending over some years is in complete agreement with the results recorded at the last two Serological Congresses held under the auspices of the League of Nations at Copenhagen and Montevideo, at both of which the superiority of the Kahn test over the best of the Wassermann techniques used was clearly shown. All the diffi- culties of the Wassermann test are magnified many times by conditions of work in the tropics and the disparity between the two tests must hus become still greater in favour of the method A not inconsiderable point is the employing fewer variables. cheapness of the Kahn test. The cost of guinea pigs for com- plement where a large number of Wassermann tests is carried out is great and with a contracted budget such points assume added importance. The antigen used was prepared at the In- stitute and has been standardized for potency against the antigen prepared by Messrs. Parke, Davis & Co. The test itself is carried out strictly according to the technique laid down by Professor Kahn.
EXAMINATION OF BLOOD SERA FOR SYPHILIS.
B. Typhosus
-
117 —
AGGLUTINATION TESTS.
EUROPEAN. INDIAN.
CHINESE.
ORGANISMS,
Total.
Pos. Neg. l'os. Neg. Pos. Neg.
62 125
3
10
209 465
869
8
1
673
869
8
15
659
869
4
3
3
B. Para, A. B. Para. B. B. Para. C.
B. Meleteusis
B. Abortus Weil Felix
reaction
સુપ
185
8 179
::
2
Grand Total
72 496
3
21
225 1,800 2,617
EUROPEAN. INDIAN.
CHINESE,
Total.
M. F. M.
F.
M.
F.
Strong positive..
71
6 52
1 1,787 607 2,524
Positive
21
2
41
335 182 531
Weak positive...
17
36
10
176 95
326
Doubtful
28
1
345 143
563
Negative
312
41 174
3
1,333 632
2,498
C. BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
(1) Faeces. Seven hundred and sixteen specimens of faeces were examined by culture for organisms of the enteric group and cholera,
The scarcity of Shiga infections is shown.
The small epidemic of cholera which visited the Colony during the summer is responsible for the large number of positive findings under this head.
Stools Examined for Organisms.
European.
Indian.
Chinese.
Organisms.
Total.
Pos. Neg.
Pos. Neg.
Pos. Neg.
Typhoid grop...
2 8
6
2 86
104
15
30
45
60
៥
69
131
:
B. Dysenteriae
5
5
2
14
172 243
431
Grand total..... 449
52 344
7
3,976 1,614 6,442
(2) Agglutination Tests.-The method of qualitative recep- tor analysis has been continued in the case of the typhoid group; the method is extremely satisfactory provided care is taken in the preparation of the necessary antigens. B. typhosus may be seen to be the cause of the great majority of infections in Hong Kong.
B. Dysenteriae (Flexner).
B. Dysenteriae
(Group)...
(Shiga)
B. Cholerae
Grand Total
19
82
8
209 398
716
130