[Python] How to preserve Labels when SPSS file (.sav) imported into pandas via rpy?

I'm looking to work on a SPSS files (.sav) using pandas. In the absence of the SPSS program, here's what a typical file looks like when converted to .csv:



On investigation into what the first two rows signify (I don't know SPSS), it seems that the first row contains the Labels, while the second row contains the VarNames.



When I bring the file into pandas thus:

import pandas.rpy.common as com

def savtocsv(filename):
w = com.robj.r('foreign::read.spss("%s", to.data.frame=TRUE)' % filename)
w = com.convert_robj(w)
return w


and then do a head(), the first row (Label) is missing:



How can labels be maintained?

• Ref: Is there a Python module to open SPSS files?
• Python: 2.7.10
• Pandas: 0.17.1

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