Toxic psychosis due to Chloroquine is a relatively uncommon occurrence in childhood. This entity must be kept in differential diagnosis in a case of unexplained psychosis, before resorting to a sophisticated array of detailed investigations. The purpose of this is to familiarize pediatricians with this relatively uncommon entity. The authors encountered four cases of psychosis with a wide variety of symptomatology over a period of the past 18 months.

Congenital asymmetrical crying facies, a minor congenital anomaly due to hypoplasia or the absence of the depressor muscle of the angle of the mouth (musculus depressor anguli oris), manifests as lower lip asymmetry during crying. In a prospective study of 1,600 neonates born at the J.L.N. Medical College in Ajmer, India, during the period from January 1979 to August 1979, 10 infants (6.3 per 1,000 infants) had asymmetrical crying facies. Two of the 10 affected neonates had congenital heart disease (1 ventricular septal defect; 1 tetralogy of Fallot), compared with three out of 1,590 members of a control group (p < 0.001). Five babies had other minor congenital malformations. Four of the 10 mothers of probands and three of twelve siblings had the same anomaly, suggesting a familial etiologic factor. No noxious obstetric or prenatal factor could be identified. At a follow-up examination (3 to 6 months later), all of the infants showed normal growth and development, although the effects of the anomaly persisted. We suggest that asymmetrical crying facies is a commonly occurring minor congenital malformation, and in its presence, a thorough search for other congenital malformations, especially of the cardiovascular system, should be made.

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SUMMARY One thousand schoolboys aged 8 to 16 were examined for their somatotype, physical growth, sexual maturation, and smoking habits. Fifty-two boys were found to be smokers, of whom 30 were regularly smoking between two and 20 bidis or cigarettes a day for a mean duration of 2 5 years. The mean height and weight of the smokers was significantly lower than that of the non-smokers at all ages, more so in regular than occasional smokers. Sixty-nine per cent of the smokers had mesomorphic type of body build; about 65% of the non-smokers had ectomorphic somatotype (P <0.001). Onset of puberty occurred significantly earlier among smokers compared with non-smokers, as was evident from the early appearance of genital stage 2, and an early and rapid increase in testicular size. Genital stage 2 appeared at a mean age of 11 years in smokers and 11 6 years in non-smokers. However, the appearance of pubic, axillary, and facial hair was delayed. The possible significance of this is discussed.Morphological and physical characteristics of adult smokers have been studied. However, little information is available on the body build, height, and weight of young smokers. There is also a paucity of information on the sexual maturation of children who smoke. In the present study we have analysed our findings on the body build, height, weight, and maturation of secondary sex characteristics in young smokers. Material and methodsDuring 1979, 1000 schoolboys of Ajmer city, aged 8-16, were studied for physical growth, sexual maturation, and smoking habits. To obtain a sample representative of all socioeconomic status groups, five schools serving different areas of Ajmer were selected for study. One was a public school serving well-to-do families and one was a school in a slum area; three schools, two Government schools, and one run by a charitable trust served the general population. Between 100 and 150 children were selected in each age group so as to make a sample of 1000. Before the study was undertaken, headmasters and teachers in these schools were told of its purpose and procedures. Three days before the contemplated day of examination, the boys' parents were requested to fill up apro forma asking for information about the date of birth of the child, family size, family income, living conditions, and parental literacy. When the children were interviewed, after having established a proper rapport and gaining their confidence, each one was asked about his personal hobbies, ambitions, and smoking habits. The boys were also asked whether they smoked and, if so, what was their frequency of smoking and the age when they started.All those who agreed that they smoked were labelled as smokers, the rest as non-smokers. Those who smoked daily one or more cigarettes or bidis were labelled as regular smokers and those who smoked less than one cigarette or bidi a day as occasional smokers. Ex-smokers, if any, were included in the non-smoker category as there was an apparent reluctance among children to identify with their past smoking habits,...

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