The patient, a lady of 33, has had three children. Dr Rattray was called in on 26th June, and found her pale, ansemic, and greatly reduced from haemorrhage. The case was rather difficult of diagnosis, but was treated as a threatened miscarriage by Gtt. vi. Tinct. Cannabis Indicse, thrice daily, and cold water enemata. On 27th, severe and labour-like pains supervened, and in a short time a large...

tions of history-taking, physical examination, and laboratory investigation to diagnosis and management of medical outpatients. BrMedJ7 1975;2:486-9. 2 Sandler G. Do emergency tests help in the management of acute medical admissions? Brson OL, Colton T. Inputs into coronary care during 30 years. A cost effectiveness study. protocols for laboratory investigation and their effect on use of medica...

background the prognostic value of blood culture testing in the diagnosis of bacteremia is limited by contamination. objectives in this multicenter study, the aim was to evaluate the contamination rates of blood cultures as well as the parameters that affect the culture results. materials and methods sample collection practices and culture data obtained from 16 university/research hospitals wer...

A specimen transport audit was performed at a routine and reference laboratory. Over the survey period (1986-89) the percentage of specimens received and assessed as hazardous (inadequately packed, misidentified, or contaminated by leakage) fell significantly from 12.0 to 2.8%. Specimen transport audit identified technical and logistical faults associated with sample transmission. It is conclud...

he increasing trend toward ambulatory care, home healthcare, nursing home care, and other alternate sites, has created variations in laboratory services and increased probability of medical errors. As an example, in order to increase laboratory volume, laboratory administrators have had to redirect blood collection services to outlying home and clinic settings via contracts with various physici...

HYPOTHESIS Specimen mammography is not beneficial in the management or outcome of patients undergoing image-guided needle-localized breast biopsies. DESIGN A retrospective study of consecutive patients who underwent needle/dye-localized breast biopsies between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 1995. SETTING National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, Md)-designated comprehensive cancer center. P...

man, set. 32, an old soldier, who had suddenly dropped down dead. No history of previous illness could be obtained. The heart was very much enlarged as seen in situ at the post-mortem, the enlargement being chiefly confined to the base. On opening the heart it was seen that this enlargement was not due to hypertrophy, but to a tumour of the septum. This tumour on examination was found to be an ...