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point of view which is distinctly bad for all concerned. the opportunity for checking the correct working of biological reagents by observation of patients and the clinical course of cases is impossible. I have had occasion to deplore this many times and it is a distinct handicap. It is to be hoped that the incorporation of a new Institute in the immediate vicinity of one of the hospitals will be seriously considered in the near future.
It is a pleasure to be able to record the efficient and loyal cooperation of the s aff of the Institute. The high standard of scientific technique attained by them is a matter for congratula- tion and pride.
A. PROTOZOOLOGY AND HELMINTHOLOGY.
(1) Blood films for Malaria.-Eight hundred and ninety seven films were examined for the presence of malarial parasites.
The relatively high proportion of malignant tertian infections is again worthy of remark, being almost double the number of the benign type. The unclassified group consists of cases in which parasites were found in the thick drop but not in the thin film and cases in which the thin film was so badly prepared that type diagnosis was impossible,
A careful watch has been kept in order to detect any para- sites conforming to the type described by Stephens and named plasmodium ovale; so far this has been without success.
A new method of staining has been used which appears to give sligthly better results than either Giemsa or Leishman used alone. It consists essentially of adding a few drops of undiluted Giemsa stain to the film immediately af.er the addition of dis- tilled water to the Leishman stain. The result is a considerably sharpened Leishman picture. The exact amount of Giemsa to be used must be determined experimentally for the particular stain, as the limit consistent with a good result is rather narrow.
The value of the thick drop in demonstrating the presence of malarial parasites deserves emphasis. Many seem still to be unaware of the immense advantage offered by this procedure, and consequently it is not uncommon to receive only a thin film to be examined for parasites. The numerous occasions on which the thick drop shows parasites in every field and the thin film fails to show any (or at most one or two on prolonged search) is remarkable. One is forced to the obvious conclusion that a negative report on thin film is no guarantee that the patient is free of parasites, while on the other hand even a short ex- amination of a thick drop will enable a report to be given which has the strongest evidential value.
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It is a lamentable observation that the majority of thin films reaching the Laboratory are atrociously badly made and one wonders whether the Schools of Medicine pay sufficient attention to this small but important point in the technical equipment of their graduates.
EXAMINATION OF BLOOD FILMS FOR MALARIA.
PARASITES.
Benign Tertian Quartan Unclassified Negative
EUROPEAN.
INDIAN.
CHINESE.
TOTAL.
68
Malignant Tertian.
20
2
99
121
17
3
49
69
4
4
10
38
51
138
39
475
652
185
47
665
897
Grand Total
ཡི།ཚེ:
(2) Filaria.-Nine films were examined for filariasis; two of these were found to be positive. Judging by the work on filarial infection of mosquitoes being reported by the Malariologist, Dr. R. B. Jackson, it is quite possible that if night films were sent for examination more frequently the proportion of positives might be surprizingly high. In view of the intimate association of the late Sir Patrick Manson with filariasis, it would be most fitting if problems connected with this disease were investigated thoroughly in the place where his last work in the East was done.
(3) Faeces.-Six hundred and ninety seven samples of faeces were examined for the presence of helininths and protozoa. Such examinations are noteworthy for the extremely high infesta- tion rate with clonorchis the presence of ova of this parasite may almost be said to be the hall-mark of Hong Kong excreta.
B. SEROLOGY,
(1) Serological reaction for Syphilis.-Six thousand four hundred and forty two sera were subjected to test. As com- pared with previous years a great increase may be noted, due to the continued attention to Venereal Disease both in the V. D. Clinic proper and in the hospitals of the Colony. The number of sera tested for the years 1929, 1930, 1931 and 1932 are respectively 1,741, 2,453, 4,266, 6,442.
During the course of the year the Kahn test was made the standard test of the Institute. A certain number of Wasser- mann tests are still carried out, however, at the instance of
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