THE "ON CALL" SERVICE OFFERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ANAESTHESIA, MANCHESTER ROYAL INFIRMARY

The "on-call" service offered by the Department of Anaesthesia,Manchester Royal Infirmary was studied in December 1981. Thereasons for any delay in service were analysed and suggestionsfor improvement discussed. ^*Present address: Main Theatre, Hope Hospital, Eccles Old Road,Salford     

EFFECTS OF FASTING AND ORAL PREMEDICATION ON THE pH AND VOLUME OF GASTRIC ASPIRATE IN CHILDREN

The pH and volume of gastric aspirate were measured immediatelyafter the induction of anaesthesia in 224 healthy children todetermine the effects of decreasing the period of fasting andof giving oral premedicants before anaesthesia. Fasting forless than 4 h was found to increase the volume of gastric aspirateand the risk of developing pulmonary aspiration syndrome. Trimeprazinesyrup was found to increase the pH of the gastric contents,and decrease the likelihood of the pulmonary aspiration syndrome.There was a significant increase in gastric volume in patientspremedicated with temazepam elixir which did not occur in patientsgiven temazepam capsules. These results support the custom offasting patients for at least 4 h before anaesthesia and indicatethat oral premedicants and their vehicles can have significanteffects on the stomach.     

Binder distribution onto binary mixtures of glass spheres*

Glass spheres (0·8 and 0·4 cm diam.) in differing weight ratios were treated in a rotating pan with four pharmaceutical binder fluids. Binder uptake for a sphere of 1 g was greater onto the smaller spheres irrespective of binder or wt ratio used. There were differences in uniformity of uptake, the solution binders (PVP and gelatin) being more evenly distributed than the mucilaginous binders (starch and methylcellulose). Binder distribution on the basis of unit surface area showed less obvious differences between the sphere sizes. Possible consequences of such binder distribution through powder aggregates are discussed.