A total of 1, 000 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (467 males 533 females) were the subjects of this study designed to clarify the relationships between diabetic neurophathy and obesity. To determine the presence or absence of neuropathy, we interviewed all the subjects and asked them whether or not they had subjective symptoms such as insensitivity of the limbs and conditions associated with autonomic disorder. Furthermore, so long as situations permitted, a battery of tests were given them for the Achilles-tendon reflex and physiological nerve functions. To evaluate the extent of obesity, we used the body mass index (BMI) in accordance with the method proposed by the Japanese Society of Obesity
Results: In obese patients with BMI in excess of 24, subjective symptoms in the limbs, absence of ankle jerks and abnormality in the perception of vibration were observed with higher frequency than in those normal in weight with BMI from 20 to 24. Between these two groups, there was not much difference in the kind of therapy and blood sugara control they received, but the duration of the disease was shorter in the obese group. These findings made us believe that obesity serves as a promoter of neuropathy from the onset.
Even among the slenderly built subjects with BMI below 20, compared with the subjects normal in weight, a large number of them had subjective symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, absence of ankle jerks and abnormal levels of nerve conduction velocity. Between these two groups, there was not much difference in controlled blood sugar level and the duration of the disease, but the percentage of those treated with insulin was higher in the slender groupo than in the noramal-weight group. This fact suggested that severe diabetes might have contributed to the onset of neuropathy.
From the above, we concluded that there is a close link between diabetic neuropathy and obesity, and that proper weight control is a key to the prevention of this type of neuropathy.

We have established NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) in our hospital and have made efforts to improve the contents of medical treatment since 1976 in order to establish a regionalization of neonatal medical treatment.
Thus are main items of the improvement:
1. Completed the apparatuses and equipments needed in Intensive Care.
2. Promoted the communication with regional facilities of delivery so as to enable immature or stressed mature babies to be transported to our hospital at all hours.
3. Made Pediatrician attend all the deliveries with high risk factors and treat the asphyxiated newborn right after the delivery.
We have recorded the results of comparison of the death rate of immature babies at different birth weight treated in our hospital, and of the perinatal mortality in our Obstetric Department in the pie-improvement period of 5 years (1971-1975) and in the post-improvement period of 4 years (1976-1979) respectively.
The results are as follows:
1. A comparison of the death rate of immature babies at different birth weight.
In comparison of pre and post improvement, under 1, 000 g we haven't had enough cases to compare, besides most of the babies have died. However, at the weight between 1, 001-1, 500 g, the death rate has decreased from 39.4% down to 14.3%, at between 1, 501-2, 000g it has decreased from 11.4% down to 8.9%, and at between 2, 001-2, 500 g, from 6.9% to 1.1%.
2. A comparison of the perinatal mortality in our Obstetric Department.
The perinatal mortality has decreased from 18.5% down to 11.8% when we compare pre and post improvement. This result of the decrease depends on the decrease of fetal death at delivery and baby's death in the early neonatal period. Items of the causes of early neonatal death reveals that the deaths of immature babies and asphyxiated mature babies have decreased significantly.
From these results, we are fully realized the benefit of the regionalization of the neonatal medical treatment and I think we ought to promote such regionalization especially in rural area.

We have established NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) in our hospital and concentrated our efforts on improving the contents of medical treatment since 1976 in order to accomplish a regionalization of neonatal medical treatment in our district.
Thereafter, the mortality rate of low birth weight infants at different weight have decreased markedly. During this period, we have gathered information by means of questinnaire concerning the prognosis of low birth weight (below 2, 000 g) infants whowere admitted in our hospital in the preimprovement period of five years (1971 through 1975, Group 1; N =110) and in the post-improvement period of five years (1976 through 1980, Group 2; N = 96).
The results were as follows:
1, In terms of height and weight, both groups revealed to be no less than those of normal infants.
2. The occurrence of cerebral palsy in Group 2 (2.2%) decreased to below one third of Group 1 (7.5%).
3. There were two infants with blindness resulting from retrolental fibloplasia in Group 1 and one in Group 2.
4. As regards the occurrence rate of epilepsy, there were two children with it in Group 1 (1.98%) and one in Group 2 (1.1%), whereas four children in Group 1 had episodes of afebrile convulsion.
5. Five (5.4%) of 92 grade-school pupils in Group 1 were attending a clss for handicapped.
From these results, it may be concluded that the improvement of neonatal medical treatment brought about a decrease of death rate of low birth weight infants and the improvement of theirprognosis as well.