A new edition of infection control manual was brought out after months of reviewing the utility of the preceding edition. Using the new manual, a series of study meetings were held with the aim of raising awareness among the personnel of infection prevention.Preventive measures have been changing with rapid advances in medical treatment. The old manual, which had undergone revision repeatedly, was not utilized fully. In view of the situation, questionnaires were distributed to all the members of the hospital staff (n=447) to investigate the reasons why the manual had not been utilized. Although many respondents were of the opinion that the old manual was out of date, too thick, and unreadable, 44.7% said they had used it. 55.3% answered that they had asked their superiors or colleagues out of necessity. Based on these results, we started making a compilation of a new manual, easy to understand and friendly to the users. It took about six months to complete it. Copies of the new manual were given to all the staff members. In the study meetings, various subjects were taken up for discussion, including the definition of nosocominal infection, “universal precaution,” how to effectively wash your hands, how to keep the rest rooms clean, how to wear the gloves and mask, and so forth. We believe that the personnel’s consciousness of infection prevention was further raised by holding the study meetings.
Manuals ; Prevention ; Infection as complication of medical care ; Hospitals ; Infections of musculoskeletal system

We assessed the relationships between lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) in middle and old-aged women and dietary habits, especially in their youth (about 18-25 years) and physiologic factors (height, weight, menarche, menopause, etc.). The subjects were 90 women at age 45-87 [63.5±9.5 (mean±SD) years] who visited our outpatient clinic of osteoporosis. Of them, 83 women had already ceased menstruation. Quantitave computed tomography (QCT) was used for measurements of the BMD of the trabecular bone in the third lumber vertebra (L3 expressed in mg/cm³ of CaCO₃), where pronounced changes associated with osteoporosis occur early.
There were significant negative correlations between age or menarcheal age and BMD of L3. Significant positive correlations were found between height or weight at the present and L3, but there was no correlation between body mass index (BMI) and L3. Significant positive correlations were noted between the values subtracted height at the present from height in the youth and L3. There were no correlations between frequency of pregnancy and delivery or outdoor life hour and L3. High milk-consumers in their youth (milk-drinking≥5 days per week) had higher L3 than low milk-consumers (milk-drinking≤2 days per week), and women, who had ate small fish 3 days or more per week in their youth, showed significantly higher L3 than thoes who had 2 days or less per week. We concluded that there are negative correlations between age or menarcheal age and L3 and positive correlations between height or weight and L3, and that low intake of milk and small fish in the youth may influence BMD in later years, leading to osteoporosis.