254 may initially affect the ground substance surrounding the cells. I suggest that the cell membrane may be altered by solvents. In studies relating mortality-rates with environment it is most important to have diagnoses confirmed by necropsy. More than one type of tumour is sometimes found in the same patient. Fortunately, there were several necropsies in this study, though I would have felt much more comfortable in reporting the results if every death could have been followed by necropsy. In my view, unless necropsies are considered mandatory in such studies, we cannot accumulate the hard evidence required for corrective actions by Government and in-

dustry. Hospital of

some

unknown mechanism induced

taneous

remissions

or

relapses of the disease.

Department of Neurology, University of Helsinki,

J. JUNTUNEN K. SAINIO

SF-00290 Helsinki 29, Finland

IMMUNOSUPPRESSION BY FATTY ACIDS our studies on the effect of fatty the in-vitro response of lymphocyte preparations to phytohaemagglutinin (P.H.A.), we have examined the effect of heptadecanoic acid (C17:0) on lymphocytes from human blood and rat spleen; only traces of heptadecanoic acid are normally found in tissues. The methods for preparing the fatty acids and human lymphocytes were as outlined previously,’ using an acid/albumin

SIR,-In continuation of

Cecil

County, PIETRO U. CAPURRO

Elkton, Maryland 21921, U.S.A.

EFFECT OF ALCOHOL UPON SYMPTOMS OF POLYNEUROPATHY

report our observations on changes in symptoms in a patient with polyneuropathy who was given alcohol; we have found that many polyneuropathic patients constantly feel better after they have drunk small amounts of alcohol. A young woman with idiopathic polyneuropathy of recurrent type, was studied over a period of six months in respect of subjective sensations, clinical status, and electroneurography after periods of alcohol drinking and periods without alcohol. After the daily consumption of approximately 5 ml of pure alcohol (calculated from all alcohol-containing drinks), subjective symptoms were much relieved compared with those during the non-alcoholic periods. Although the clinical status of the patient did not change notably between examinations, muscular power did seem to improve after alcohol. The conduction velocities of the peripheral nerves were measured on two successive days; on the first day the patient had been without alcohol for a week, and on the second day she had imbibed alcohol during the previous evening. Surface electrodes were used for stimulation and recording. The results are shown in the table. The experiment was repeated within a month with another pair of recordings. In both experiments the conduction velocities were increased by a mean of 10% (P