By J. M. HOUSTON, M.D., B.SC. Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast THIS is a preliminary report describing the storage of blood for transfusion, and comparing the results obtained in the first fifty cases transfused with those of fresh blood transfusions. Blood storage is a definite advance in blood transfusion therapy, the use of such blood having a number of advantages over fresh blood; notably t...

Phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy was applied to the pig kidney in vivo to determine the metabolic effects of infusion of sodium nitroprusside, and of more severe hypotension produced by venesection or halothane. Sodium nitroprusside 7-20 micrograms kg-1 min-1 reduced mean systemic arterial pressure (AP) of the pig from 89 to 46 mm Hg. Glomerular filtration rate and total sodium rea...

A female patient aged 73 presented with a history of general malaise and hyperpigmentation. Iron studies in the patient and immediate family members indicated that the proband was homozygous for haemochromatosis, but subsequent investigations revealed that porphyria cutanea tarda was responsible for her signs and symptoms. Venesection of four units of blood brought her symptoms under control. T...

Cancer of the breast, seen by Galen as the commonest cancer of his time, was probably first mentioned by Hippocrates in the 5th century BC. A single case history was described but no specific treatment mentioned. For centuries no further cases were described, until Cato, 2nd century BC, advocated cabbage poultices for all tumours and breast cancer in particular. Aëtius of Amida probably first d...