The looming storm

Precautions • Patients should be warned that temazepam may impair mental and/or physical abilities particularly in the elderly. • Not recommended as a primary therapy in patients with a depressive disorder or psychosis. • Physical and psychological dependence have rarely been reported at recommended doses of benzodiazepines. • Treatment should not be terminated abruptly. • Not recommended for nursing mothers. Side Effects • Most common are headache, vertigo and dizziness at 2% to 5% incidence in clinical trials. • Temazepam potentiates the CNS depressant effect ofalcohol, and VIceversa. Dosage• 10mg to 30 mg orally, half an hour before retiring. • Dosage should be individualised and carefully titrated to avoid excessive impairment ofpertormance during the day. • Elderly patients generally respond to a lower dose. Presentation • Soft gelatin capsules (pale orange) 10mg and 20 mg each in bottles of25. Full Prescribing Information available on request from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Pty. Limited, Parramatta, N.SW much higher than that in their homeland. It seems that migrants were aware not so much of the lower winter temperatures and relatively heavier rainfall in the Province of Messina, but of the low relative humidity there. According to the majority of migrants, Fremantle was characterized by humidhot summers and wet-mild winters, while Messina experienced dry-hot summers and wet-cold winters. The consensus that relative humidity was generally higher in Fremantle than in Messina was further tested by obtaining average climatic data for the two places. It was noted that the migrants' complaints that the "air" in Fremantle contained a higher relative humidity than did the air in Messina was well founded. As can be seen from the Table and the Figure, the relative humidity was higher in Fremantle than in Messina for nine months of the year, while for the remaining three months both localities showed similar relative humidity readings. For five of those nine months, the relative humidity reading in Fremantle was at least 8% higher than that at Messina; the greatest discrepancy occurred in the summer months, when the relative humidity reading in Fremantle was up to 13% higher than that of Messina. This climatic difference was sufficient to cause discomfort, especially for those migrants that suffered from rheumatism or arthritis. One elderly respondent stated: In Australia, I suffered from pains and aches, my neck was always damp and my wifesuffered from headaches. Since our returnweboth feel better.The "air" in Sicily ismuchbetterthan that of Australia. Even northern Italians cometo Sicily for thesummer to soak up the sun and "dry their bones". This elderly pensioner had made no direct reference to humidity but had definitely been aware of the climatic difference between Fremantle and Messina. As was typical of many migrants, he had identified effects which are brought about by differences in relative humidity, which he rather vaguely called "a difference in the air". Charles C. Iraci, MA Department of Geography The University of Western Australia Nedlands, WA 6009 I. Mine S. Of new Australian patients, their medical lore and major anxieties. Med J Ausl 1963; I: 681-687. 2. Pasquarelli G. The general medical and associated problems of the Italian migrant family. Med J Ausl 1966; 1: 65-70. 3. Thompson SL. Australia through Italian eyes. London: Oxford University Press, 1980. 4. Mennella C. l/ c/ima d'ltatia. Vol 3. Naples: Fratelli Centre Editori, 1967.