Pregnancy associated aplastic anemia is a rare association. Spontaneous remission can occur in 25-30% of patients. In the first trimester patients, pregnancy can be terminated while in advanced pregnancy patients can be followed up with stringent supportive care. Cyclosporin may be a safe drug antenatally in such patients. Patients with established aplastic anemia should avoid pregnancy.

Haemoglobin E beta thalassemia (HbE beta thalassemia) has a remarkable variability in clinical expression ranging from a mild form of thalassemia intermedia to a transfusion dependent condition. An overlap between the mild variety of HbE beta thalassemia and homozygous HbE disease is common, however, differentiation is required for early institution of therapy and for predicting the later clinical course. Fifty cases of Hb E syndrome comprising of 43 cases of Hb E beta thalassemia and 7 cases of homozygous HbE disease were studied. Their clinico- haematological features and results of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were analysed.

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ERYTHROMYCIN is a new antibiotic produced by a strain of Streptomyces erythreus. The clinical indications for the drug are as yet undetermined. It is said to be effective against Gram-positive cocci, Gram-negative cocci, the Clostridium group, anthrax, Haemophilus pertussis, and Rickettsiae and certain viruses. (1952), who recommends that the smear should be stained for 3 minutes. We found that the smear should be stained for 4 minutes to get good results.Fifty cases were used as controls to whom no treatment was.given except normal saline drops (Agarwal and Gupta, 1954).Fifty cases were given erythromycin tablets 100 mg. 4-hrly for a week, with local application of ointment in concentration of 5 mg./g. two to three times a day.A search for inclusion bodies was made in stained slides every 2 weeks. The treatment was continued in several cases even after the inclusion bodies were absent from the smears. The treatment was continued for 6 weeks and final examination and assessment was made at the end of this period. The presence and progression or retrogression of pannus was also recorded during the period of observation. Such subjective symptoms as photophobia, redness, discharge, irritation, and gritty sensation were also taken into account and the effect on them of the drug was noted. ResultsUntreated Cases.-Inclusion bodies were present in all four specimens of tissue scrapings in all cases; this confirmed our previous finding that inclusion bodies did not disappear without treatment. The subjective symptoms did not improve.Treated Cases.-The subjective symptoms started improving within 24 hours and disappeared within 3 days. The pannus retrogressed in 50 per cent. of the cases and in these the inclusion bodies also disappeared (see Table).Toxicity.-In three cases the local application of erythromycin ointment caused a reaction which manifested itself either in heaviness or swelling of the lids or in conjunctival congestion. In one case an eczematous reaction was seen. In only one case out of fifty was a gastro-intestinal reaction in the form of mild diarrhoea observed. In these five cases treatment was discontinued.

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