A Retraining Program for Inactive Physicians

During the past two years a pilot project was conducted in which 19 inactive physicians were retrained in preparation for resumption of active practice. The initial program consisted of a flexible training program of six months to one year patterned after conventional internship-residency concepts. During the second year the program was modified by providing an initial condensed indoctrination period of two months'' duration especially designed for this purpose, followed by a preceptorship type of training.The project was considered successful in permitting trainees to enter some form of active medical work, or to enroll in formal specialty training. The observations made by the faculty of the program and its accomplishments are discussed in the light of the effort expended and the cost of the project.     

Comparison of the Pathogenicity for Mice of Mycobacterium fortuitum and Mycobacterium abscessus

The pathogenicity for mice of 12 strains of Mycobacterium abscessus was compared with that for 8 strains of M. fortuitum. Both species caused lesions in kidneys and produced "spinning disease" resulting from inner ear infections. No major differences in pathogenicity of these two species were demonstrated. Strain to strain variation was marked, especially with M. abscessus. For example, 1.6 x 10(6) organisms of strain 11188 of M. abscessus produced death in four of five animals within 42 days, whereas strain 380 of M. abscessus failed to produce any deaths within 42 days. In the case of M. fortuitum, the greatest mortality observed was one of five animals, yet the incidence of spinning disease and kidney disease occurred earlier postinfection than in mice infected with M. abscessus. Histologically, abscess formation by a strain of M. abscessus was greater than by a strain of M. fortuitum, but this difference cannot be interpreted as a species difference.     

Drug Resistance of Enteric Bacteria XIII. Distribution of R Factors in Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Livestock

Escherichia coli strains isolated from 151 swine and 108 fowl, which were kept at the Animal Health Center, Maebashi, Japan, were surveyed for drug resistance and distribution of R factors. All of the swine and 38% of the fowl excreted E. coli strains resistant to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, and sulfanilamide, or certain combinations thereof. Among 278 resistant cultures isolated from swine, 13% were found to be resistant to one antibiotic, whereas 87% were resistant to more than one antibiotic. Among these resistant strains, 40% carried R factors which were transferable by the usual conjugal process. The resistance patterns of these R factors included 36% which were singly resistant and 64% which were multiply resistant. Among 54 resistant cultures isolated from fowl, 24% were singly resistant and 76% were multiply resistant. Of the resistant strains from fowl, 22% carried R factors. The resistance patterns of R factors included 50% of the singly resistant type and 50% which were multiply resistant. In spite of feeding with dairy products containing only tetracycline, a high incidence of multiple resistance was observed in the E. coli strains and the R factors isolated from these animals.