How much do patients know? A multiple choice question paper for patients in the waiting room.

A questionnaire about knowledge of personal preventive medicine, treatment, and the appropriate use of health services was put to a population of patients attending their doctors' surgeries. The population was probably biased toward the younger and those willing to fill in such a questionnaire. The results showed a social class gradient in knowledge and a distressing degree of ignorance on some topics.

Human platelet arylsulphatases: identification and capacity to destroy SRS-A.

Arylsulphatases IIA and IIB have been separately identified in human platelets by use of anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Arylsulphatase IIA had a molecular weight of 160,000 and a pH optimum of 4.5.

Structure and function of intracellular proteoglycans.

Proteoglycans are generally thought of in terms of extracellular function, but there is evolving evidence that they are also an important constituent of secretory granules. Although the mast cell appears to be uniquely endowed with granule proteoglycan heparin, the peripheral blood elements such as basophils, neutrophils, and platelets contain predominantly chondroitin sulfates which have not been fully characterized and are presumed to be of granular origin. Coupled activation-secretion of the rat mast cell and the human platelet, respectively, has demonstrated the release of a proteoglycan-protein complex.

Febrile convulsions--what do parents do?

To find out about the medical and parental management of children having their first febrile convulsion a hospital-based questionnaire study was carried out in which parents were asked what they did at the time. Fifty-four out of 89 parents brought their child directly to hospital while the remainder attempted to contact their general practitioner, usually successfully, and were then referred to hospital. Whichever course of action the parents chose the outcome was satisfactory.

Doctors' attitudes to information systems: a survey of Derbyshire general practitioners.

This paper describes the results of a survey of all 365 general practitioners in Derbyshire. It deals in particular with their attitudes to information systems and the factors which affect them. The results show that there is much more interest in continuous data collection from primary care than is often supposed.

The recognition of family and social problems by general practitioners: towards developing a taxonomy.

A short feasibility study to investigate the recognition rate and precision of family problems by general practitioners is described. The need for such work in preparing a taxonomy of family and social problems, and the difficulties involved are discussed. Further support by general practitioners is invited.

The teaching of medical ethics.

The subject of medical ethics is intended to run like a thread throughout the whole undergraduate period at the Nottingham Medical School which was established in 1970, the first such foundation in Britain this century. Dr J S P Jones, who is the Clinical Subdean, and Dr D H H Metcalfe,of the Department of Community Health, describe the plan of the course leading to qualifying, and how the thread of medical ethics has been woven into that fabric. The final objective of the course is to train men and women to become technologically capable and at the same time alive to the human needs of their patients.