Anthropometric indices in the assessment of malnutrition in under five children are being indiscriminately used especially when a community based survey is conducted and so the estimated prevalence of malnutrition varies in different methods. In this study a comparison of these common anthropometric measurements is done in order to find out the best method suitable for individual assessment of malnutrition. The evaluation technique discussed in this paper consists of comparison of the efficiency of various anthropometric measurements in detecting malnutrition and was judged in terms of specificity, sensitivity and predictive value. The test is most efficient when the sensitivity and specificity attain unity. In this study it is shown that weight for age and Body Mass Index (BMI) attain higher value of delta [delta = 1-(alpha + beta)], where - alpha is false positive value and beta is false negative value) and low value of delta standard error of which proves that the best method of assessing malnutrition using various anthropometric measurements is weight for age as against body mass index.

Although nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy has been studied in detail, there is little information available regarding dietary aversions and some cravings during pregnancy. To study the prevalence and factors associated with dietary aversions and cravings during pregnancy, a survey was carried out on 1000 randomly selected pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in a district in southern Sri Lanka. In this group 473 (47.3%) had pregnancy cravings for wide variety of foods: sour food 65%, unripe fruits 40%, meat and fish 47%, ripe fruits 30%, food from alms giving 26% and jam and bread fruit 22%. Ninety nine per cent of those who had pregnancy cravings had made special attempt to obtain the food of their choice and all of them had their cravings satisfied by eating the food of their choice. Pregnancy cravings was significantly higher in women who married after a love affair's than in those who had on 'arranged' marriage (p < 0.05), in women who were superstitious (believed in devil dancing and gods) than in those who were not (p < 0.05), and in women with a family income of less than Rs. 2,500 than in those with an income of more than Rs. 2,500 (p < 0.05).

Dietary intake in pregnant, lactating and non-pregnant nonlactating women of an urban slum in Kurnool, A.P. are about 30% less than the ICMR recommended daily allowances. Heights and weights of the subjects are similar to the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau's values for slum women and some inter-religious difference is observed in the anthropometry of the subjects.

One hundred and thirty mothers in the age group (15-44) years and 142 children aged (12-59) months were selected by cluster sampling method from nine villages in Wardha district. Out of this 100 mothers and 122 children could be contacted for evaluation of immunization coverage and assessing maternal knowledge and practice regarding immunization. 52.5% children were fully immunized and 45.1% were partially immunized. Vaccine coverage for B.C.G. and primary doses of DPT/OPV was 95.9% and above 85% respectively. It was 57.4% for measles and 63.04% for booster dose of DPT/OPV. Drop-out rate from second to third dose of DPT/OPV was 5.3% and from third to booster dose was 36.96%. Mothers had a fair knowledge regarding need for immunization but a poor knowledge regarding the diseases prevented and doses of the vaccines. Commonest side reactions reported were fever (36%) and pain at injection site (33%). Contraindications listed by mothers were mild cold (41%), mild fever (24%) or loose stools (14%). Health workers were the major source of information and 76% knew the use and maintenance of immunization cards.

184 indoor patients suffering from various hepatic as well as non-hepatic disorders admitted in Kasturba Medical College & Hospital, Manipal during the year 1989 were studied for the presence of HBs Ag and anti HBs by ELISA. As viral hepatitis specially hepatitis B is a major public health problem in all parts of the world, this type of study will give an idea about the preponderance of hepatitis infection among hospital admitted patients.

Nutritional status particularly in relation to the possible risk of morbidity and mortality in children has long been recognised as a field of major concern. A cross-sectional study was undertaken with 1280 under five children in the urban slum community of Chetla, the field practice area of All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health, Calcutta, during 1991 to identify their nutritional status. Wt/age being the most sensitive indicator was considered; and the children were graded using the Indian Academy of Pediatrics classification. It is evident from table 1, that more than half of the under five children were undernourished in the series, 27.7%, 16.8%, 5.3% and 1.8% being suffering from grade I, II, III and IV undernutrition respectively.

A total of 4800 patients suffering from rheumatic diseases, attending Department of Physical Medicine, Burdwan Medical College Hospital, West Bengal, during the period from January 1991 to June 1991, were studied. Out of these 4800 cases, soft tissue rheumatism cases were maximum (57%), followed by osteo-arthrosis cases (36%), rheumatoid arthritis (5.2%), rheumatic arthritis (0.4%), ankylosing spondylitis (0.6%), osteo-chondrosis (0.7%) and gouty arthritis (0.1). Soft tissue rheumatism cases were common (62.8) in age group 20-40 years, mainly (58.4%) in female and maximum (37%) of lumbosacral strain. Osteo-arthrosis cases were highest (53.9%) in 40-60 years of age with female preponderance (57.2%) and mainly (49%) of cervical spondylosis.