A report form for the serial display of laboratory results in small hospitals.

Because Sickledex, like the sickling test, only detects sickle haemoglobin it is imperative that electrophoresis is performed on all positive results. At the same time the rare false positive results due to a dysproteinaemia will be detected. This test is valuable, particularly in the laboratory, where occasional sickling tests are performed and positive control cells are difficult to obtain. Laboratories performing large numbers of sickling tests may find the Sickledex test too costly but in our opinion Sickledex is quicker to perform than the orthodox sickling test and is more reliable in inexperienced hands. A new solubility test for rapid detection of haemoglobin S. Serial display of the laboratory results in the patient's case notes makes it possible for the clinical staff to assimilate the data at a glance. The many advantages of cumulative report forms were described in this journal in the report of the Working Party of the Association of Clinical Pathologists (ACP Report, 1968). Cumulative report forms can be produced in larger hospitals by computer-based systems (eg, College of American Pathologists, 1965) or by photographic reproduction (eg, Whitby and Owen, 1965), but these systems are too expensive for use in small hospitals. This paper describes a cheap laboratory report form designed for use in small hospitals to produce a cumulative report in the patient's case notes. The design is similar to the report forms used in larger laboratories (ACP Report, 1968) but this report form takes advantage of the smaller range of investigations performed in small hospitals to display the laboratory information in the correct time sequence on a single page of the case notes. Notice The Pathology of Trauma The volume entitled 'The Pathology of Trauma' which contains papers delivered at the symposium organized by the Royal College of Pathologists in the spring of this year will be shortly available. The price is £2U00, and there is a concessionary price of 35s. (6175) for all members of the Royal College, members of the Association of Clinical Pathologists, and regular subscribers to the Journal of Clinical Pathology. (Both of these prices include postage for orders received before 30 January 1971). Please send orders to the