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Industrial Hygiene Digest December. 1967 1155 Fatal Opportunistic Fungus Disease. C. F. Parkhurst and G. D. Vlahides. J. Am. Med. Assn. 202, 279-281 (October 23, 1967). Fatal disseminated mycotic disease has been seen with increasing frequency since the intro duction of steroid and cytotoxic drugs, medications that apparently interfere with the immuno logic defenses of the host. These mycoses are most often associated with malignant tumors, especially leukemia and lymphoma. Of 14 significant fungus infections found at autopsy, Phycomycetes was found in six. Thrombosis and infarction caused by the fungus were seen in multiple organs, most commonly in the lungs, heart and kidney, and were a major contributory cause of death. -- Authors' abst. 1156 Surgical Treatment of Mycotic Infections of the Lung, J.A.S. Wilson and D. D. Munro. Can. Med. Assn, J. 97, 166-173 (July 22, 1967). A limited but interesting group of patients with pulmonary mycotic infections, including no cardiosis, cryptococcosis, aspergillosis, coccidioidomycosis and histoplasmosis, were treated by operation. The diagnosis was established either before operation by culture of the fungus or after the operation by identification of the fungus using either special tissue stains or cultures from the surgical specimens. Patients with histoplasmosis constituted the largest group. Those requiring operation had either histoplasmomas, lymphadenopathy with compression of the adjacent structures, or chronic cavitary lesions. The results of operation were gratifying. No complications were due to the mycotic infection (one patient developed a staphylococcal empyema) and there were no postoperative deaths. -- Cond. from authors' summary 1157 Acceleration of Healing With Zinc Sulfate. W. J. Pories, et al, Ann. Surg. 165, 432 (1967). Zinc is intimately Involved in protein synthesis and cellular respiration, but metabolic studies have become possible only recently with the advent of sophisticated chemical techniques. After the accidental discovery in rats of zinc as a potent factor in healing, a controlled study of dietary zinc supplements on wound healing in man was undertaken. Young airmen who had wounds resulting from excisions of pilondial sinuses were given 220 mg. of zinc sulfate three time a day. The wounds of the control group healed in 80.1 + SE 13.7 days, the wounds of the zinc-medicated group in 45. 8 + SE 2. 6 days. The rate of wound closure was also accelerat ed by almost three times. Those on zinc therapy showed cleaner, pinker and healthier granula tions. The effect was small in the first 15 days but much greater during the second half of the healing period--that is, in the epithelialization phase. Zinc is the metal moiety in a number of essential enzyme systems. It has been shown that it is desirable to give zinc to the patient during periods of wound healing. It has been demonstrated that zinc is an important considera tion in patients with severe burns and postoperatively. The element is absorbed and excreted by the small intestine. It is probable that wound dehiscences, poor healing and frequent hypoproteinemia may be related to low zinc stores. -- Can. Med. Assn. J. Absts. 1158 Comparative Evaluation of Antibacterial Soaps. E. Jungermann, et al. J. Am. Oil Chemists' Soc. 44, 232-234 (April, 1967). Two antibacterial soaps and an antibacterial detergent were examined for their effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of a large number of bacteria. A soap containing equal parts by weight of hexachlorophene and 3,4, 4'-trichlorocarbanilide was more effective than a detergent con taining hexachlorophene only and a soap containing a mixture of equal parts by weight of 3, 4', 5-tribromosallcylanillde, 3, 3, 4'-trichlorocarbanilide, and 4, 4'-dichloro-3-(trifluoromethyl) carbanilide. A total of 27 bacteria, including 12 pathogens, was used. There are 7 references. Abst. cond,, Public Health Eng. Absts. 1159 Wool, Cotton and Hygiene. T. A. Pressley. Med. J. Australia _1_, 550-551 (March 18, 1967). The major factor in determing the survival times of Staph, aureus and coli was the relative humidity of storage and not the textile on which the organisms were held. The type of textile exerted a minor, but significant effect. Staph, aureus showed a longer survival time on wool than on cotton, whereas E. coli survived better on cotton than on wool. There are 13 references. - Public Health Eng.'Absts. 10. 03122717