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Some properties of the little known Israel turkey virus which causes annual epidemics among flocks of turkeys have been investigated. Suckling mice were susceptible to intracerebral, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous and intranasal inoculation of the virus while young adult mice died only after intracerebral and intranasal administration of the virus. Suckling hamsters were susceptible to intracerebral inoculation.The virus was sensitive to ether and deoxycholate treatment. It was found to be fairly stable at low temperatures. Filtration experiments through Millipore filters point to a virion size between 100 my. and 50 m~. An antigen prepared by the sucrose-acetone method agglutinated erythrocytes of a wide range of vertebrate species, optimal pH being 6.2--6.6. Attempts were made to grow the virus in many cell systems. Plaques were consistently obtained in chick embryo fibroblast cultures. Transmission of virus from laboratory fed mosquitoes to suckling mice was successfully carried out.

Hospitalization for children may be a traumatic experience which can result in varying degrees of depression and anxiety. To help children deal with their negative reactions to illness and hospitalization the departments of psychiatry and pediatrics at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York introduced a program of theme-focused group sessions for pediatric patients. The group concerned itself with issues of the hospital experience including 1) lack of, or distortion of, factual information, and 2) fantasies, fears and anxieties related to hospitalization. The group also served as a diagnostic tool by allowing the observation of children's reactions to their hospitalization; as an educational experience for non-psychiatric hospital personnel to learn about children's development and psychological functioning; and to reduce the anxiety level of the children, lessen hyperactivity, aggressiveness, and resistance to hospital procedures.