An outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred during January 4-9, 1982, in a rural community in north Georgia. A systematic telephone survey revealed that 63% of persons living in homes served by the community water system had symptoms of acute gastroenteritis in contrast to 9% of persons in homes served by private wells or other sources (P less than .001). A fourfold rise in antibody titer to the Norwalk virus occurred in 20 of 22 serum pairs obtained from ill persons. Fecal coliforms (greater than 16 MPN/100 ml) were detected in a spring which served as one water source for the community system. Surface runoff from a heavy rainfall, which preceded the outbreak, may have contaminated the system. Outbreaks of gastroenteritis should be promptly reported and investigated to facilitate corrective measures and to identify causative agents such as Norwalk virus.
Abstract:The writers reflect on the work of Margaret Mead, who is recognized as one of the founders of American anthropology, to highlight some of her insights on mental retardation. Mead's study of the island society of Samoa revealed a society where everyone participated in all aspects of the culture and where there was more charity toward weakness than toward misdirected strength. Many years after the study, Mead told participants at a conference sponsored by the American Association on Mental Deficiency that genuine opportunities are required for a culture in which most individuals can fully participate.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.