Medicine: Capsules, Feb. 2, 1953

¶ Because 110,000 premarital blood tests have turned up only 34 new cases of infectious syphilis in 57 of New York's 62 counties, State Senator Thomas Desmond suggested that the compulsory test be dropped. But it should be kept in New York City's five counties, said Upstater Desmond, because the city's syphilis rate is eight times the upstate rate.

¶ A mysterious disease which starts like a common cold but kills its infant victims within hours was worrying doctors and parents in Tacoma, Wash. The sixth victim, three-month-old David Le Fever, was found to have died of double-edged pneumonia: simultaneous virus and pneumococcus infections.

¶ Seven doctors who were told last year that they would lose their privileges at St. Francis Hospital (run by Roman Catholic nuns) in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.—unless they dropped out of the local League for Planned Parenthood [TIME, Feb.11]—were reappointed last week. Actually, they had gone right on practicing at the hospital, and only three had quit the league.