Medical Care of Cambodian Refugees

To the Editor.— Although we agree with most of the comments of Keith Dahlberg, MD (1980;243:1062), on the Cambodian refugees and their treatment for malnutrition and other medical conditions, his recommendations on personal care for refugee workers are subject to further comments. For newly arriving refugee workers from nontropical environments who are not acclimatized to the heat, adequate hydration is a must. However, the use of salt tablets should not be encouraged; rather, supplemental table salt taken with meals along with sufficient fluids is recommended. 1 Salt tablets are often taken needlessly, irregularly, and not always with adequate fluids; their rate of disintegration in the gastrointestinal tract is unpredictable. Western diets frequently include too much salt; therefore, continuing to use the same amount of salt as we use at home will probably suffice for most people while working in the tropics.