1 Ten patients with bilateral knee joint effusions were treated topically with a gel containing 1 g diclofenac/100 g (80 mg three times daily). They were randomized to receive diclofenac gel to one knee and a placebo gel preparation to the other knee. 2 Diclofenac was assayed in synovial fluid and blood plasma by GC/ECD as the pentafluorobenzyl-ester derivative. 3 Total concentrations of diclofenac in synovial fluid (day 4) were significantly higher in the diclofenac gel treated knee than in the contralateral placebo treated knee (25.5 ± 3.6 ng ml-1 vs 21.6 ± 2 ng ml-1; P < 0.05). These concentrations were lower than total plasma drug concentrations (40.6 ± 4.7 ng ml-', n = 10, P < 0.01). Unbound concentrations of diclofenac in synovial fluid from either the diclofenac gel treated or the placebo treated knee were not significantly different from each other or from plasma free concentrations (115 ± 16 and 99 ± 12 vs 108 ± 19 pg ml-'). 4 Clinical parameters showed improvement of joint mobility and a small reduction of swelling (circumference) in both knees with time. However, the differences between knees were not significant. 5 We conclude that direct transport of diclofenac from the skin into the ipsilateral knee joint after cutaneous application is minimal. Distribution seems to be predominantly via the blood. Whether the observed improvements of clinical parameters were due to drug effects or to the spontaneous course of the underlying disease cannot be distinguished.

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With 195 male rearing calves which received concentrates ad libitum beside fluid feed with milk from their 5th day of life onward, investigations were made if and how far the characteristics of the development of the calves while they are fed on colostrum (body weight at birth, live weight increase and duration of keeping or stalling age) correlate with the hemoglobin content (Hb), the hematocrit (Hc) and the average corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) of the animals on the 3rd, 28th resp. 56th day of keeping in the weaning period. There was a significant simple dependence particularly between body weight at birth, live weight increase and stalling age on the one hand and the hematologic values on the 3rd day of keeping in the weaning period on the other. A partial correlation analysis showed that the live weight increase while the calves were fed on colostrum was the main variable for all three hematologic parameters at the beginning of the weaning period of the calves. With increasing live weight, Hb, Hc and MCHC were diminished. This analysis was supplemented by the results of a cross--section investigation of the development of the milk and concentrate consumption and the Fe-intake of the calves fed on colostrum. The calculation of the Fe-balance showed that the mere ad libitum supply with feed supplements rich in Fe cannot prevent Fe-deficiency. Anaemia developing in the first month of the calves' lives is not a physiologic one but essentially caused by Fe-deficiency.

A total of 1.088 blood samples (1 to 6 per animal) were taken from 491 rearing calves in the colostral period, the milk feeding period and the weaning period (at the age of 4, 22, 51, 79, 105, 122 and 145 days); the hemoglobin content (Hb), the hematocrit (Hc) resp. the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were determined resp. calculated. Hb, Hc and MCHC were drawn in diagrams in dependence on the rearing period as arithmetic means with standard deviations, as quartiles and as frequency distributions on an interval scale. During the rearing periods with milk feeding the anaemic frequency was considerable. Anaemia resp. hypochromia frequency had an inverse relation to the developing increase of concentrated feed and roughage consumption and thus makes it probable that the cause of anaemia is the intake and/or absorption of iron insufficient for the weight gain performance achieved. The consumption of solid feed by the hematologically examined calves developed more quickly than in other GDR rearing farms due to the early ad libitum supply with this feed component and the composition of fluid feed with milk. Reference is made that the frequency of hypoferric anaemia can also be considerable during the milk feeding period in the intensive rearing of lambs and kids if an effective iron intervention is not made.

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