Volume 43, No 1, 1998 March Peripatetic editorial notes 1 Colvin Goonaratna Leading article  5 8 Are clinical guidelines necessary? Devaka Fernando   Atmospheric ozone layer - its depletion can affect our health. P L Ariyananda Papers 11 16 19 Obstetric performance, perinatal outcome and risk of infection to the newborn in spontaneous and artificial rupture of membranes during labour. H R Seneviratne, G D I de Silva, M V C de Silva, T Rubra  Plasma pharmacokinetics of a generic amoxycillin and the innovator brand: a comparison.. A K E Goonetilleke, J M J Munasinghe, D S H P Guruge, D S N Samaraweera, O V G L Weerasena  The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in newly diagnosed patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. N Weerasuriya, S Siribaddana, I Wijeweera, A Dissanayeka, J Wijesekera, D J S Fernando SLMA Oration 1997 22 Organophophorus insecticide poisoning. Nimal Senanayake From the journals 30 R L Jayakody Case reports 33 34 36 38 41 Red (wo)man syndrome. A P De Silva, R Premaratne, S B Gunatilake, M M D Fonseka, H J De Silva  Essential thromobocythaemia: an uncommon cause of digital gangrene. E A C Fernando, Bimsara Senanayake, S Sivakumaran  Suicide by suffocation with a plastic bag. U A K Tennakoon, Hemamal Jayawardena  Two definitive cases of concealed homicide and one inconclusive case. Niriellage Chandrasiri  Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava. Rudra Rasaretnam, C K Gunatunga, R H Seneviratne Brief communication 43 Health-care and housing for prisoners. Jennifer Perera, Nawamalika Dias, Asela Amarasiri Book review 46 The essentials of contraceptive technology. Kamani H Tennekoon Letters 47 49 50 50 51 51 52 54 56 EPI vaccine storage and power cuts. Chandra Abeysinghe Mass murderers. K Weerasuriya   Bibliographic resources.  J Sarath Edirisinghe   We are the first.... Deepthi de Silva  Increasing folic acid consumption. T W Wikramanayake  Knowledge about diabetes among final year medicals students, non-specialist hospital doctors and general practitioners. A A T P Chang, D J S Fernando, K de Abrew, M H R Sheriff An audit of the (ab)use of thyroid function tests. A Dissanayake, U C L Hewage, S H Siribaddana, D J S Fernando A hybrid of haemangiopericytoma and deep seated fibrous histiocytoma - a rare tumour of soft tissues. Preethika angunawela, Bobby Fernando A Sri Lankan family with Alport's syndrome. Preethika Angunawela. Obituary 150 Dr. R L Thambugala. Lucian Jayasuriya