A study of aluminium phosphide poisoning with special reference to its spot diagnosis by silver nitrate test.

A total of 45 cases of Aluminium phosphide poisoning were studied from December 1989 to November 1990. Silver nitrate (AgNO3) test was positive in gastric aspirate in all cases (100%) who took fresh tablets and negative in those who took exposed tablets. The test was also positive in breath but had a lower sensitivity.

Pyogenic meningitis.

Fifty cases with pyogenic meningitis, aged 15 to 72 years, with a male:female ratio of 5:1, were studied. The majority of cases (70%) were in the 15 to 25 years age group. The organisms detected in the 29 culture-positive cases included S aureus (12), pneumococci (9) and meningococci (8).

Desorption of atropine sulphate and hyoscyamine hydrobromide by various antacids in vitro.

Desorption of atropine sulphate and hyoscyamine hydrobromide by antacids such as magnesium trisilicate, magnesium oxide, aluminium hydroxide an bismuth carbonate was carried out i vitro. This was achieved by preparing a complex of the alkaloids with bromothymolblue and then partitioning th complex between aqueous buffer phase and non-aqueous chloroform phase. The latter was analyzed colorimetrically.

Sheabutter V: effect of particle size on release of medicament from ointment.

An ointment prepared from fat (sheabutter) obtainable from an indigenous (African) fruit released medicaments faster than either of the two ointment bases recommended by the British Pharmacopoeia. Reduction in particle size of crystalline medicaments incorporated in ointments increased surface area and transfer from the ointment to the substrate, possibly due to greater dissolution in the base, and, therefore, increased the availability of medicament at the ointment-substrate interface.