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, , 574-578. A technique for studying the efficacy and duration of action of drugs used in asthma by means of exercise tests is described. The patient runs for six minutes every two hours, four times a day, on a treadmill at a constant speed and slope. The test drug or its placebo is given immediately before the first test of the day, and their effects on the exercise-induced asthma are compared. This enables the immediate protection and duration of action of the test drug to be measured. No change in the severity of post-exercise asthma was found when serial tests were performed during one day after administration of a placebo. In a selected group of 14 children studied with disodium cromoglycate, three patterns were seen. In five patients the drug afforded prolonged benefit, in five others the protection was very short-lived, and in four patients it did not seem to be better than the placebo. The use of the tests is also illustrated with respect to bronchodilator drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Five asthmatic patients aged 25-30 years were studied during and after 6-8 minutes of steady exercise on both a bicycle ergometer and a treadmill. For each patient the duration of work, oxygen consumption, minute ventilation, and heart rate were similar in each form of exercise. During exercise all patients had an increase in peak expiratory flow rate. The blood lactate level was higher during bicycle exercise but arterial and pH fell to similar levels during both forms of exercise. There was a rise in arterial oxygen tension in four of the patients during exercise; in one subject arterial oxygen tension fell. Bronchoconstriction was greater following treadmill exercise in all subjects and was associated with an increase in ventilation/perfusion inequality, as shown by arterial hypoxaemia, an increase in alveolar-arterial oxygen tension gradients, and an increase in physiological dead space. In one subject whose PEFR fell to 25% of the predicted value retention occurred. These changes are similar to those found in other forms of acute asthma. In one subject, during both forms of exercise the mixed expired was observed to be higher than the arterial , thus giving a negative value for physiological dead space. This observation is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article analyzes the admissions and discharges of in-patient case-load at a comprehensive psychiatric department in a general hospital in Great Britain. The crude annual admission rate in 1964 risen, but the rate during each year remained below the national average. During the 4-year period, there was a progressive decline in the small percentage of patients dealt with other psychiatric beds. Gathering all age groups, findings showed that there was no evidence in an excessive number of beds being blocked by long-stay cases. The author did not confirm the unhopeful long-term forecasts that have been made concerning a general hospital-centered psychiatric service.