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A response by Sheldon G. Gilgore to a comment about his article on drug testing in the June 1, 1969 issue is presented.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Drug Testing: Is Time Running Out?," by William O'Brien in the January 1969 issue.

The article reports on research methods used in a clinical dental trial which evaluated an unidentified tranquilizer that might be used in operative dentistry. Topics include the definition of relaxation for statistical research and statistical pairing for assessing the number of treatments and use of placebos. The formula for calculating the relative deviate as an alternative to the curve test is explained.

A response by William M. O'Brien to a letter to the editor about his article "Drug Testing: Is Time Running Out?" in the January 1969 issue is presented.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Drug Testing: IS Time Running Out?," by William O'Brien in the January 1969 issue.

Results of therapeutic trial of diazepam in tetanus are presented. The trial included 200 cases of tetanus—167 non-neonates and thirty-three neonates. The patients were divided into two groups and were matched as regards age, sex and severity of the disease. The cases of group I received standard treatment while the cases of group II received diazepam in addition. Over-all mortality in group I was 54% and in group II, 26%. The results were statistically significant in non-neonates and in severe degree of tetanus. The drug was well tolerated and side effects were not observed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article focuses on the history regarding the administration of Diaminodiphenyl sulphone (DDS) or dapsone therapy in dermatology. It states that the dapsone has been synthesized by E. Fromin and J. Wittmann in 1908, wherein its effectiveness in the treatment of experimental streptococcal infections has been observed by G. A. H. Buttle and colleagues in 1937. It adds that the use of dapsone therapy has been proven to be effective and safe in the treatment of various cases of skin diseases.

Although the centenary of the discovery of diamorphine is soon to be celebrated, much work remains to be done before its mode of action is thoroughly understood. The main stumbling blocks facing the would-be investigator can be summarized as follows: (1) Diamorphine in solution has a limited shalf-life. (2) The potency ratio of diamorphine to morphine is still a matter of dispute. (3) No basic studies appear to have been carried out on the fate of orally administered diamorphine. (4) Current methods of assay are not sensitive enough to detect diamorphine or its metabolites in serum after the administration of the drug when given in therapeutic amounts. (5) The undersirable side-effects of diamorphine may vary according to posture and mobility. (6) As the metabolic handling of the drug may be different in the two sexes, provision for a between-sex comparison should be included in the design of a clinical trial of diamorphine. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article discusses toxicological research into the effects of the anesthetic nupercaine when administered subcutaneously to animals including cats, dogs, and guinea pigs. The toxicity of this drug is believed to relate to its rate of absorption into the blood stream. Clinical trials of the efficacy of nupercaine are compared to data on the efficacy of procaine.

26 patients of angina pectoris (duration 1 to 8 years—average 28 months) were studied by the double blind technique, for a period of three years covering six anti-anginal drugs and their placebos. It was startling to find that results with various placebos as well as those with different samples of pentaerythretol tetranitrate differed statistically. The causes of these results are discussed. It becomes clear' that for the ' study of angina pectoris, the “double blind technique” as it is used today is valueless. This also explains the divergent responses obtained by different workers for the same drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. A survey throughout the United States demonstrated the frequency of occurrence of vascular accidents associated with bowel function. 2. A study of the effects of therapeutic agents in causing drug-induced constipation revealed this to be an important factor which deserves serious attention by the clinician. 3. The administration of the neuroperistaltic constipation corrective, Senokot, successfully corrected the constipation when encountered, and when administered concomitantly with the therapeutic agent it prevented its onset. There was no interference with the pharmacodynamic activity of the principal therapeutic agent by this procedure. 4. The administration of this agent together with drugs capable of causing constipation is recommended in order to reduce the stress to the circulatory system arising from the straining efforts associated with bowel function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the evaluation of drug safety and the techniques for evaluating the chemicals used in these drugs. It is stated that the assessment of the utility and safety of a potential drug starts with the first pharmacologic studies in animals and goes through all of the animal experimentation period. The safety tests in humans consists of metabolic and pharmacologic investigations, which require one or two doses of the agent. In chronic studies the drug is administered continiously for weeks or months.

This article discusses the results of a research study conducted to establish a procedure for calculating a confidence interval to determine the efficacy of proposed anticariogenic agents. The researchers state that most studies of anticariogenic agents base their success on per cent reduction of caries incidence.

The article provides information on the study "Treatment of Chronic Discoid Lupus Erythematosus With Chloroquine," published in the 1954 issue of the "Journal of American Medical Association." The results of treatment of 16 patients with chronic discoid erythematosus with chloroquine diphosphate 0.25-0.5 gram daily were equal or superior to those obtained with quinaquin.

The article provides information on the study "Treatment of Herpes Zoster With Cortisone," published in the 1954 issue of the "Journal of American Medical Association," which reports that five patients with severe acute herpes zoster were treated with oral cortisone. Relief of pain was dramatic in four of the five patients; the patient who experienced no relief was suffering from lymphatic leukemia.