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governments of those countries have asked for fellow-ships, medical literature, &c., and not for missions.That there has been unwarranted political interference

with UNRRA’S health work in Greece, as elsewhere, no-one can deny. But in most of the cases representationshave succeeded in putting matters right--admittedlyafter exasperating delays. As so often-and again thisis not confined to Greece-the original " scandal " hasbecome widely known but the subsequent correctionis.not " news " and is consequently not disseminated.

Dr. Waterlow states that " the Greek governmentwill not employ even the humblest clerk if he helpedto resist the German occupation " ; but surely his riskof unemployment does not depend on his resistance toGerman occupation so much as on his past or presentconnexion with Left Wing groups-however deplorablesuch discrimination may be.

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That Dr. Waterlow’s views on the undesirabilityof assisting Greek health work are not shared by themajority of her former colleagues in Greece is shownby the many applications from UNRRA and voluntary-society workers there to continue their work underWHO!C auspices-applications which have nearly allhad to be refused, as the WHore mission in Greeceis limited to eight imported staff. Some of these workers,indeed, are continuing there without salary. Finally,a striking testimony to the value which the Greeksattach to outside expert advice is shown by the agree-ment recently concluded with WHoic under which theGreek government agree to pay more than half of thecosts of the WHOic mission-no inconsiderable sum.However, we can all agree that Dr. Waterlow’s letter

will have served a useful purpose if it has contributedin any way to preventing political interference with healthwork in any country. NEVILLE M. GOODMAN

Director, field services; WHOIC, and latedirector of health, UNRRA, European

Regional Office.Palais des Nations, Geneva.

** * UNBRA’s health campaign in Greece was describedin these columns a year ago (1946, i, 789) by Dr. J. MillerVine, who said that despite " multitudinous difficulties "the medical rehabilitation of the country was in fullswing. In a paper read at the Royal Society of Medicineon March 28 he further described the success of thecampaign against malaria, "the age-old scourge of Greece."Spraying of the marshes by UNRRA aircraft using D.D.T.has given brilliant results.-ED. L.

INFECTION BY INJECTION

sin,—May 1 ask: (1) Why it is assumed that water is theonly liquid that can be boiled ? (2) Cannot bacterio-logists tell us the temperature at which spore-bearingorganisms will be destroyed ? (3) Cannot chemists orphysicists tell us of a substance or solution which boilsat this temperature ? Syringes could then be sterilisedby boiling them in this substance or solution.London, W.1. A. S. BLUNDELL BANKART.

THE OUTLOOK FOR PHYSIOLOGY

SIR,-We have observed that some writers on scientifictopics use metaphors to give point, interest, or livelinessto arguments already expressed clearly in technicallanguage; with others, however, the appearance ofmetaphors in their writings is a sign that principles ofdoubtful validity are about to be foisted on the reader.

Professor Lovatt Evans’s lecture in your issue ofJan. 18 contains at least one metaphor of the second kind.Under the heading " Teaching of Physiology " he says :" It may be that in the very distant future some broadgeneralisations will emerge, as a result of which all

physiological phenomena will be capable of expressionin a few mathematical formulae and chemical equations ;but such a final crystallisation could only emerge froma mother-liquor supersaturated with exceedingly abun-dant and intricate detail." This passage implies thatthe generalisations of physiology are formed as thefinal result of reflection upon immense collections offact, accumulated over long periods and including asmuch intricate detail, relevant and irrelevant, as theaccumulators can discover. If this is so, physiologicalmethod differs from that used in other sciences. Almostwithout exception, the work of the great investigatorsin other branches of science has not been based upon

this principle. Galileo, Newton, Harvey, Dalton, andPasteur based hypotheses on comparatively few andsimple facts, and while validating the hypotheses widenedthe factual knowledge relevant to the hypotheses, whichaltered shape as relevant information came forward.It would be extraordinary if, in order to grow, it werenecessary for physiology to reject the methods customaryin other sciences.

Professor Lovatt Evans’s metaphor would apply moreeasily to a process of intellectual concretion than tointellectual calculus or crystal formation.

Department of Physiology,University of Melbourne.

C. E. PALMERLecturer in Scientific Method.

R. DOUGLAS WRIGHTProfessor of Physiology.

ACTION OF CURARE ON THE FŒTUS

SIR,-I have recently had the opportunity of observingthe effect of curare on the human fcetus. During anoperation for the removal of a large fibromyomatousuterus with a foetus of 19 weeks, at the suggestionof the anaesthetist. Dr. Lawrence Morris, I injected theumbilical vein with 2-5 mg. of tubocurarine (B.w. co.).To our surprise the foetus immediately entered into atetanic spasm involving the flexor muscles of the limbs,which lasted until its death a few minutes later.

This observation may be of interest to pharmaco-logists.

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London, W.I. ALECK BOURNE.

SOCIAL ASPECTS OF EPILEPSY

SIR,-May I make a few observations froxn the pointof view of a medical " sufferer " ? In my own case theepisodes have been of sufficient severity to produceincontinence and even quite severe physical injury onoccasion, and yet I have been able to hide the fact oftheir occurrence from most of my acquaintance. Themain difficulty in social adaptation is that of findingemployment, especially as it is surprising with whatprejudice one meets even in most enlightened quartersand when man-power is at its shortest. Fortunately,I have several other, more obvious, physical defectswith which to explain my rejection from the Forces, but,of course, one cannot perjure oneself in connexion withlife insurances or superannuation schemes, so the rightjob is often difficult to find even then. One has to beable to take things easily when required and to save money,especially as overwork and worry are certainly to beavoided.A point which is not often realised is that many of us

have what I call a remote, as distinct from an immediate,aura. Thus we can tell if an attack is impending andalter our habits and our drugs accordingly. Thusretention of fluids may be obvious for a few days preced-ing an attack and is easily noticed by the observant.However, even to the experienced, a major episode is

a most terrifying experience, and I am convinced thatthis fact militates strongly against the use of the water-pitressin test. Although I am perfectly aware of whatis happening to me, the sense of utter frustration andhelplessness at the beginning of an episode has neverhad its terrors dimmed by repetition, and I wouldnever submit voluntarily to any procedure which Iknew would bring it on. ANON.

RUBELLA AND CONGENITAL DEAFNESS

SIR,-A few months ago I was called to see a patient,aged 65 years, suffering from a right hemiplegia ofsudden onset. I had seen the man for trivial complaintsbefore, and examination was complicated by his being adeaf-mute. His brother who was present told me thatthe patient had never been able to hear or speak properly-and added that their mother always insisted it wasdue to the fact that during the pregnancy she sufferedfrom German measles.

In this case an " old wives’ tale " has antedated Gregg’sdiscovery by about sixty years. It makes one wonderwhether the unsolved mysteries of medicine could notbe more easily solved by listening closely to what ourpatients and their relatives say, and by studying carefullytheir habits, histories, and modes of life, than byinvestigating their biochemistry or experimenting on

animals.London, E.2. HUGH L’ETANG