[Ophthalmologic evaluation at the age of 2 years of newborn infants hospitalized in the neonatology center at Rennes].

The eyes of 1 466 children (88.3% of the total) who were admitted to the Centre for premature babies and the neonatal intensive care unit at Rennes between 1973-1975 were re-examined at the age of 2 years. There were 839 premature and 226 term babies whose weight was appropriate for gestational age, and 74 premature and 327 term babies who were small for dates.

[Visual behavior of the premature infant].

Ocular reflexes were studied at birth in neonates of varying gestational ages and then followed every two weeks. It is possible to distinguish reflexes that may be present at birth that are dependent on gestational age and those acquired later. Each reflex corresponds to the establishment of neuronal corrections and thus it is possible to follow the development of neural structures in utero and after birth.

Multiple window rectilinear scanner modification.

Although the gamma camera and multi-crystal scanner have largely replaced the old dual probe rectlinear scanners in the larger hospitals, a large number of such scanners are still in use today. Modifications to these units can greatly enhance their usefulness. This paper describes the addition of dual SCA windows to each probe of a rectlinear scanner to increase sensitivity to multiple gamma-ray isotopes such as 67Ga.

[Value and technique of measuring the tibia length in pathological conditions of the newborn (author's transl)].

Together with determining the bone age of the immature and/or small-for date neonate, it is possible to work out the length of the tibia on the profile X ray of the leg. Authors have drafted up a scale of growth, featuring the 10 th, 50 th and 90 th percentiles common for boys and girls ranging from 28 to 42 weeks of gestation and they propose this new criterion for the study of pathological neonates, particularly the small-for-date. The method has a second advantage: it is possible to follow the increment of the tibia length by X rays taken at regular intervals and thus to estimate the various factors that can interfere with the child's growth, and in the first place, the quality of the food given to the child.

[About five cases of congenital german measle (author's transl)].

The authors are reporting five cases of congenital german measles confirmed by serological and virological tests. They recall the circumstances in which the serological diagnosis of maternal german measles was arrived at during pregnancy: misinterpretation of the results had in four cases given the doctor a mistaken sense of security. Lastly, they are stressing the interest of prevention by systematic vaccination of girls aged 11 to 13 and women known to be seronegative.

[Retardation of intra-uterine growth and its connexion with chromosome abnormalities (author's transl)].

17 chromosome abnormalities were found out of 571 small-for-dates newborn babies. 7 of these were trisomy 18, 5 trisomy 21, and 2 trisomy 13. The obstetric and paediatric implications of the fact that 3 percent of small-for-dates babies are carriers of a chromosome abnormality are discussed.

[Amniocentesis in a woman with trisomy 21 and a fetus with normal karyotype but with abnormalities].

The limitation of amniocentesis is emphasised by a mother with trisomy 21 who had a baby with a normal karyotype but with malformations. The question is posed whether half the infants of women with trisomy 21 are normal and half have a trisomy. With more observations it may become apparent that there are an excess of children without the trisomy.

[The child's vision and its measurement. Comparative results of different tests of visual acuity in children as a function of age].

The authors describe a new test for determining the visual acuity in pre-school children. It is a picture-test which is composed by pictures of animals of varying sizes, the child being asked to name them in turn. The six pictures (duck, rabbit, cock, elephant, fish, and butterfly) with an homogeneous density, can be utilized according to several manners-appariement or verbal expression--and several distances: 2,50 m or 5 m.

[Bone maturation in the fetus and newborn infant].

On the basis of a study of X-ray films of the lower limbs of 994 babies (included 245 hypotrophics) a "bone age" scale of the fetus between 28 and 42 weeks of gestation has been established. The Acheson's method has been used and the bone age determined by addition of notes given to different evolutive phases of the first five ossification centers of the ankle and the knee. To more practical purpose, the results of boys and girls have been joined, although the bone age is in advance among the girls and a theorical scale established with the 10th, 50th and 90th percentiles curves.