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gross infiltration, those with nodular lesions, and among those with high bacillary density on skin smears.The very detailed monthly assessment of haematological, hepatic, renal, neurological, visual, and cardiac functions failed to show any toxic effects from clofazimine during the period of observation, and thus confirmed the previously gained impression that in the acutely ill, debilitated leprosy patient clofazimine can be safely administered with gratifying therapeutic results. However, the red-brown pigmentation of the skin that was seen in all the patients, coupled with reddish brown urine and sweat and a tendency to development of dry scaly skin, was disturbing to the younger and fairer patients.The study does not show the superiority of clofazimine over dapsone, in the dose used in this trial, in terms of bacterial death and clearance, resolution of skin lesions, and the incidence of erythema nodosum leprosum. While further controlled studies for a longer period are necessary, we suggest that dapsone, which is much cheaper and does not cause significant pigmentation, is preferable to clofazimine in the routine management of untreated lepromatous leprosy. Clofazimine could be reserved for patients who are either sensitive or resistant to dapsone as well as for those who are distressed by recurrent chronic erythema nodosom leprosum or recurrent chronic peripheral neuritis or both.

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SYNOPSIS Aldolase was estimated in the cord blood of 81 newborn infants and phosphocreatine kinase in 87 infants. There is a wide range in the results, with some values falling in the range reported in children with muscular dystrophy or of carriers of the disease. There is no correlation of the serum enzyme levels with the infant's birth weight. High levels of phosphocreatine kinase were found in infants of mothers with pre-eclamptic toxaemia. A single estimation of cord phosphocreatine kinase and aldolase is of little help in determining whether or not an infant has muscular dystrophy.

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