684

found that seven mosaic D.S. patients with less than 50%trisomic cells in blood and/or skin had a mean maternal ageat birth of 27-6 years, thirteen with more than this percentagebeing born to mothers with a mean age of 35-6 years. I amdoubtful if Dr. Matsunaga’s method of analysis is valid, buthave repeated it exactly on about a hundred and forty mosaicD.s. patients and find practically no difference between themean maternal ages at birth of the two groups. I have alsoseparated mosaic D.s. patients born to mothers under 30 fromthe rest: there is no significant difference in the mean per-centage of trisomic cells of the two groups.The analysis of data on which these observations are based will be

published in the near future.St. Lawrence’s Hospital,

Caterham, Surrey CR3 5YA. B. W. RICHARDS.

XX CHROMOSOMES IN STREAK GONADS

SIR,-We have recently done cytogenetic studies on tissueexplants cultured from multiple biopsy sites in bilateral streakgonads, using a slight modification of the technique of Aspillagaet al.l The resulting karyotypes were normal, with 46 chromo-somes and an apparently normal XX sex-chromosome comple-ment. Twenty metaphases from cultures of the right streak andtwenty from the left were suitable for examination. The patientwas an 18-year-old girl who was referred to our unit becauseshe had never menstruated or developed female-type breasts.Her height was normal (157.5 cm.), and she had sparse sexualhair. There were no congenital abnormalities except for thewhite fibrotic streaks found at laparotomy in the locationsnormally expected for ovaries. Leucocyte cultures had

previously yielded forty metaphases suitable for karyotyping,each of which had 46 chromosomes with an XX sex-chromo-some complement.We have been able to find six reported cases with an XX

sex-chromosome complement in leucocytes in whom con-firmation of the presence of streak gonads was made byexploratory laparotomy.2-s The possibility exists that gonadalmosaicism had gone undetected in such instances. The presentcase is the first we are aware of in which cells from the abnormal

gonad itself have been successfully examined cytogenetically.The results from this one patient lend no support to thehypothesis that the streak gonads of these cases may be organmosaics as to sex-chromosome constitution. Gonadal-cellcultures for cytogenetic analysis in other individuals with thisstate should prove helpful.This study was aided by grants Tl-AM-5277 and AM-02504,

National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases, U.S. PublicHealth Service.

Genetic and Endocrine Unit,Department of Pediatrics,

State University of New York,Upstate Medical Center,

Syracuse, New York 13210, U.S.A.

ROBERT J. SCHLEGELRICHARD L. NEUJOSÉ CARNEIRO LEÃOLYTT I. GARDNER.

THE LATE DR. HILDA LEWISProf. J. 0. FoRPAR, F.R.C.P. (acting chairman, Medical Group of

Standing Conference of Societies Registered for Adoption) writes:" For many years Dr. Hilda Lewis took a keen, active, and practicalinterest in adoption. She gave generously of her time and energy inthis cause as paediatrician and psychiatrist, as medical adviser to theChildren’s Society, as member of the executive committee of theStanding Conference of Societies Registered for Adoption, as writer,and as counsellor on adoption matters to a wide variety of adoptionsocieties and other bodies. She played a leading part in the establish-

1. Aspillaga, M. J., Schlegel, R. J., Neu, R. L., Gardner, L. I. BiologiaNeonat. 1966, 10, 21.

2. Aubert, M. L. Annls Endocr. 1962, 23, 225.3. Jacobs, P. A., Harnden, D. G., Buckton, K. E., Court Brown, W. M.,

King, M. J., McBride, J. A., MacGregor, T. N., Maclean, N. Lancet,1961, i, 1183.

4. Josso, N., deGrouchy, J., Frézal, J., Lamy, M. Sem. Hôp., Paris, 1963,39, 775.

5. Haddad, J. G., Jr. Bull. Tulane med. Fac. 1962, 21, 139.

ment of the Medical Group of the S.C.S.R.A.-devoted to improvingadoption medical practice-and was its first chairman.The Medical Group, in conjunction with the S.C.S.R.A., proposes

to establish a Dr. Hilda Lewis Memorial Fund with the object ofendowing a lectureship in her name. Lectures by distinguishedworkers in the field of adoption will be given from time to time atthe annual general meeting of the Medical Group or at its confetences.Subscriptions to the fund are invited from all who knew Dr. Lewisand from the many organisations and agencies who benefited fromher advice and help. These should be sent to A. Rampton, Esq.,treasurer, Standing Conference of Societies Registered for Adoption,Gort Lodge, Petersham, Surrey." ,

Obituary

CHARLES GUY ROWORTHM.D. Lond., F.R.C.O.G.

Dr. C. G. Roworth, senior consultant obstetrician andgynaecologist to the Swindon and Cirencester hospitalgroups, died on Feb. 6, at the age of 54.He graduated M.B. from University College Hospital in

1935, and after holding a gynaecological house-appointment atU.C.H. and a registrarship at Aberdeen he became obstetricalofficer at the Hope Hospital, Salford. In 1939 he joined themedical service of the Royal Navy, and on demobilisation hereturned to Salford to work in his specialty. In 1947 he was

appointed consultant obstetrician and gynxcologist to Swindonand North Wilts. He was elected F.R.C.O.G. in 1961. Hisoutside interests included bell-ringing, on which he was anauthority.

Dr. Roworth leaves a widow and five children.

G. F. J. writes:" Guy was intensely proud of the unit he had built up, and

because of the tremendous expansion of Swindon he workedlike a Trojan in order that a good service should be available.He was a very positive, large, strong man with a speedy andadept surgical technique; he was a consummate, practicalobstetrician and no mean anaesthetist, with a predilection forspinal anaesthesia. For 17 years he dealt singlehanded withthe local clinical and administrative needs of his specialty. Anillness in 1963 halted his industry only temporarily, and,despite considerable disability, he continued to work unceas-ingly. As well as being an excellent clinician he was aninspiring organiser. However, a passionate belief in manycauses and loyalty to the underdog made his path more difficultthan it might have been. A staunch colleague, whose counselswere always original, he will be sadly missed ".

LESLIE FRANK HEWITTD.Sc. Lond., F.R.I.C.

Dr. L. F. Hewitt, formerly director of the SerumResearch Institute at Carshalton, died on March 14.He graduated B.SC. from London University in 1921 and

during the next three years was drawn to the medical sciencesthrough his work in the Department of Industrial Research, TheHospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, and for theMedical Research Council. After taking the D.PH. in 1925 hebecame Freedom research fellow at The London Hospital,where he made a special study of diphtheria. At the age of 28he joined the London County Council Antitoxin Establishmentat Belmont, and the results of his research there on diphtheria,bacteriophage, and glutathione were incorporated in his bookOxidation-Reduction Potentials in Bacteriology and Biochemistry,which had gone through six editions by 1950. He was electedF.R.I.C. in 1936 and he was awarded the D.sc. in 1956.When the Antitoxin Establishment became the Serum

Research Institute and moved to Carshalton, Hewitt, who hadtaken an active part in the design of the building, became thedirector. In 1958, by which time the Institute had been taken