The Prevalence of Foot Defects Among Wartime Recruits

A test dose of 5 mg. of folic acid was given subcu- taneously to 148 patients.The urinary excret4ion of folic acid usually exceeds 30% of the test dose, and an excretion of less than 1.5 mg. is recorded as a " positive" test.The test may be positive in megaloblastic anaemia, but there is no evidence that anaemia in itself gives a diminished excretion.Where renal function is good and the patient does not suffer from megaloblastic anaemia, intestinal mal- absorption, generalized oedema, a large effusion, or severe infection of long duration, a positive test is likely to indicate the presence of advanced malignant disease.It is, however, possible to have advanced malignancy with a negative folic-acid test.This work was made possible by the kind co-operation of many physicians, surgeons, and nursing sisters in numerous hospitals in Edinburgh and district.I wish to thank them, Mr. Robert Brown, for performing many of the assays, and Professor L. S. P. Davidson for helpful advice.