When a patient with acute drug intoxication is brought to our hospital, the pharmacist must immediately collect pertinent information regarding the causative agents involved, present the collected data and propose therapeutic methods to the doctors and nurses based on the basis of their earlier experience. 　　For the life-saving treatment of a 99-year-old woman who happened to swallow a large amount of diphenhyramine ointment, we proposed gastric lavage and time-lapse measurement of the diphen- hyramine concentration in the blood. The results of this therapy showed a clinical improvement with a drop in the concentration of diphenhyramine in the blood. 　　The conduct of gastric lavage and the clinical determination of diphenhyramine concentration in the blood were found useful in this case.

The number of elderly diabetic patients has continued to increase year by year. Home-visit nursing care is beneficial to homebound elderly diabetic patients and there is a large number of senior citizens utilizing this form of health service. We conducted a questionnaire survey of home-visit nursing care of elderly diabetic patients. Those queried were participants in the diabetes workshop. Eighty-five of them responded to our questionnaire.The results showed that 87% of the respondents experienced care of diabetic patients and acute complications of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia as well. It was also found that many home helpers extended assistance in drug compliance, indicating that home helpers play an important role in the medical care of elderly diabetic patients.On the other hand, many problems became apparent such as lack of observation of foot care, lack of knowledge of methods of treating hypoglycemia, and inadequate observation of drug compliance due to the limited availability of home visit time.Training and collaboration of local home-visit nursing care personnel are considered necessary in the future in order to improve on the home care of elderly diabetic patients.
Elderly ; Care given by nurses ; Questionnaires ; Home ; Surveys

In 2006 there was a multiple outbreak of infectious gastroenteritis due to norovirus in health care facilities, old age nursing homes and other facilities in Hiroshima Prefecture. Also at JA Yoshida General Hospital during the period from October 3 to 17, 2006, symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea were observed in a total of 47 people including 29 in-patients in three out of six wards and 18 hospital staff members.This was reported to the public health center and an emergency meeting of the Infection Control Committee was convened. Under the guidance of the Public Health Center, the Infection Control Team (ICT) immediately had a good control over the situation, took infection preventive measures, informed patients of what had happened, and restricted hospital admissions and hospital visits. The number of new patients dropped to zero on October 17.After re-examining the gastroenteritis outbreak, the ICT reviewed the existing manual and prepared a new operation manual to cope withe future outbreaks of infectious gastroenteritis, including emergency measures to be taken, staff assignments, and improvement of the hospital environment. The ICT considers that there is a need for disseminating knowledge regarding measures against the infection and for making preparations for the future as a vanguard.
Hospitals ; Gastroenteritis ; seconds ; Infectious gastroenteritis, NOS ; Infection as complication of medical care

The relationship between coldness of the hands and feet (“Hiesho”) and Blood Stagnation (“Oketsu”), a disorder description unique to Oriental Medicine, was examined using the Oketsu score of five Hiesho cases based on the Terasawa Oketsu Diagnostic Criteria. The effects of acupuncture treatment were studied by evaluating Oketsu symptoms and accompanying complaints, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and subjective evaluation of coldness of the hands and feet.
The results were as follows:
1) 100% of the five females with Hiesho were also positive for the Oketsu factor.
2) The Oketsu score showed a significant decrease (P<0.05) upon treatment with acupuncture.
3) An improvement in subjective Hiesho symptoms (VAS) was seen in three of the five cases upon acupuncture treatment.
4) It was suggested that the subjective improvement in Hiesho symptoms, i. e., coldness of the hands and feet, was related to the disappearance of the resistance and pain upon pressure in the ileocecal region that is characteristic of Oketsu, and the improvement in menstrual disorders.