indicate a need for further rationalising the provision and distribution of special care baby units. The case for this is further strengthened by our other findings. Even in the three well-endowed regions in this study it has not proved possible to staff and equip all officially recognised units to the standard recommended by the expert group. Moreover, since the group's report was published, increasing technological requirements together with inflation have made it a continuing struggle to maintain the standard of excellence required of the few units that provide intensive care for the illest babies. A further argument for rationalisation is the demonstration by Blake et a19 of the successful results of transporting sick babies when this is well organised by the intensive care nursery that is to receive the babies. Any replanning of nurseries must, however, take into account References

In eight patients (five with peptic ulcer disease and three with hydatid cysts), the ['4C]-aminopyrine breath test (ABT) and maximum serum concentration of mebendazole following a dose of 1.5 g of mebendazole three times daily were determined before and after treatment with cimetidine (400 mg three times daily for 30 days). Serum mebendazole concentrations were measured in blood samples taken 2 h after each drug intake.Cimetidine lowered the 14CO2 specific activity (SA) at 1 h (P < 0.01) and increased the maximum serum concentration of mebendazole (P < 0.01). A significant correlation was found between SA at 1 h and the highest concentration of mebendazole before (r = -0.71, P < 0.05) and after (r = -0.82, P < 0.05) cimetidine ingestion. Combined administration of cimetidine and mebendazole resulted in the complete resolution of previously unresponsive hydatid cysts.

Three different patterns of genotype 4 carriers were observed, corresponding to three different spreading profiles. They did not induce, however, different clinical management.

Serum IgE concentration is measured, according to the Rowe modification of the Mancini technique, in non-atopic patients suffering from various helminthic or protozoal infections. Our results indicate that the IgE level is often raised in parasitosis with prominent tissue phases and remains normal with helminths whose life is restricted to the lumen of the digestive tract. In addition, our observations show that, with helminthic or protozoal infestations, the serum IgE level tends to increase significantly and rapidly following a specific treatment of the parasitosis. Afterwards, the serum IgE level decreases slowly and may return to the normal in a few months. Thus, repetitive evaluations of serum IgE concentrations, before and after therapy, appear to be of a diagnostic value in the cases where a vague clinical picture is suggesting an helminthic parasitosis.

In 25 patients an [14C]‐aminopyrine breath test (ABT) was performed immediately before the oral administration of 1.5‐2 g of mebendazole three times daily. The concentration of mebendazole in serum was measured 2 h after each drug intake. A significant correlation was found between the results of ABT and the serum drug concentrations obtained after the second and third intake, as well as the highest concentration value. The ABT was repeated in six patients during a continuous treatment with mebendazole. In all of them this test indicated an increase in 14CO2 production with continued treatment. The results support the view that mebendazole is metabolized by the liver monooxygenase activity and behaves as an enzyme inducer.