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and then drain off the fat? Not so, according to Small et al. Theyfound that a mere 6-17% of the fat and 1.3-4-3% of the cholesterolwere lost in samples prepared in this way. Another method tried bythese workers, in which the samples were stir-fried, rinsed with alarge volume of water, and drained, removed 23-59 % of the fat and9-19% of the cholesterol, but the fmal product, they say, wasrelatively dry and tasteless. The vegetable oil extraction procedurecan be used to prepare all types of meat, and the oil can be reused.Small and colleagues say that the food industry could learn from thislesson in kitchen chemistry "... to produce a variety of morehealthful fast foods and other products".

1. Small DM, Oliva C, Tercyak A. Chemistry m the kitchen. making ground meat morehealthful N Engl J Med 1991; 324: 73-77

The dogs, the family, their babysitter, and herchildren

A retirement dream for many is to move into an old house in the

country and set about renovating it with the sort of devotion thatwas only previously shown to a first car. Be warned-not all thatglisters is gold. Lead, perhaps, but certainly not gold. 9 cases of leadpoisoning have recently been reported through contact withcontaminated paint dust that was created during renovation of afarmhouse in New York State. 1

The story began with the family’s 10-year-old mixed breed bitch,which had episodes of "shaking and twisting". After the wifeexplained how the house had undergone 10 weeks of renovationwork that included paint stripping, the vet suspected lead

poisoning, and this diagnosis was confirmed by measurement of ablood lead concentration. The family’s second dog also had a raisedblood lead concentration, as did the wife, her husband, and their twochildren (the wife and 5-year-old daughter complained of weaknessand nausea, respectively). The dogs and family were treated withchelation therapy (calcium disodium edetic acid), but the first dogsoon died from renal failure. The children’s babysitter and her twochildren, whom she always took with her to the house, also hadincreased blood lead concentrations, and they too were successfullytreated. Subsequent X-ray diffraction analysis of the remainingpaint in the home revealed what are now regarded as toxic quantitiesof lead.

Lack of knowledge about lead poisoning may mean a misseddiagnosis. Physicians (and their veterinary colleagues) must be alertto the possible risks of paint stripping when seeing keen do-it-yourself patients (and their pets) with an initially confusing history.

1. Mavmo PE, Landrigan PJ, Graef J, et al. A case report of lead paint poisoning duringrenovation of a Victorian farmhouse Am J Public Health 1990; 80: 1183-85

Extra funding for the M RC

Over the next three years the Medical Research Council is toreceive more than 16 million in extra funding from theGovernment’s science budget to support its clinical researchinitiative (CRI). 4.1 million will be paid to the council in 1991/92and jC6 million each in 1992/93 and 1993/94. Central to the CRIphilosophy is the development of a number of centres in which basicand clinical scientists will work together. The extra money will meetmuch of the immediate capital costs of setting up the new centre atthe Royal Postgraduate Medical School, where systems orientedbiological research is to be developed to complement existingclinical research. Part of the extra funding will go towards the capitalcosts of new centres in other university sites outside London.

Excluding the 4-1 million earmarked for the first phase of the CRI,the MRC’s grant-in-aid for 1991/92 has risen by only 5 ’8 % over thecurrent year’s figure. Because this increase is well below inflation,the council is planning further cuts in its total volume of research. In1990/91 the MRC’s grant-in-aid was 54% of the amount receivedin 1989/90; staff pay during the year has risen by 9%.

Treatment of war injuriesThe British Library Medical Information Service is producing a

series of bibliographies on aspects on medical care related to warinjuries and has set up an emergency service to supply documentsquickly (by fax or courier). The bibliographies will be distributedfree of charge to hospitals and other services that may be called on totreat casualties of the Gulf war. Items listed may be requested byquoting the relevant citation numbers given in the bibliographies.Users of the service who are not registered with the service will bebilled at z3 plus VAT per item.The first two bibliographies deal with the treatment of chemical

and biological warfare injuries (see Lancet Jan 26, p 230) andgunshot and blast injuries. Two more, on the treatment of militarybums and post-traumatic stress disorder, are in preparation.

Requests may be made by telephone or fax to: Urgent ActionService, The British Library, Boston Spa, Wetherby, WestYorkshire LS23 7BQ, UK (tel 0937 546363/546137, fax 0937

- 546321/546210).

Modern vaccines

"Profound" was one adjective applied to The Lancet’s seriesModem Vaccines, published last year under the coordinating eye ofProf Richard Moxon (Oxford). Starting with immunology and thenew technologies, it went on to explore many of the key issues invaccine science and practice. The articles have now been reset inbigger type and assembled, with index, between hard covers. Thebookl costs 9.95 and can be had from Publication Department,The Lancet, 42 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3SL, UK. (Foroverseas airmail despatch add 1.50.) An order form can be foundon advertisement p vi of the London edition.

1. Modem Vaccines Editorial adviser E. R Moxon. London: Edward Amold 1990

Pp 142. £9.95. ISBN 0-340529601

In England Now

The family looked sceptical; so did the family pet. After all, themany do-it-yourself skills in which the Very Senior Partner hadbeen found wanting included carpentry, and fitting a cat-flap to theback porch door did seem to demand a certain facility with wood.But it wasn’t so bad. True, the door proved to have a medievalthickness exceeding by a good centimetre the capacity of the VSP’sjig-saw. And, as usual, the spirit level gave the lie to the obviousnaked-eye impression-but maybe it was unwise to tackle the job onNew Year’s Day. A hole, more or less square and ditto central,eventually appeared, and since the instructions had not beencomposed in Japan and translated by an Italian, the flap itself wasduly fitted. It works perfectly. A few tips not on the manufacturer’sdata sheet have to be followed, of course. With cat on the outside thewife must kneel on the linoleum and hold a tempting piece ofcheddar (yes, cheddar) in the hole, the flap itself having to be raisedwith surgical tape. The VSP remains outside, applying pressure tothe reluctant feline’s rear end. It remains essential for the wife thento unlock the door to let in the VSP. One should add that the onlyunassisted entry so far has been by the ginger tom whose activitieswere supposed to be inhibited by the device.

International Diary

3rd meeting of the International Neurotoxicology Association will beheld in Parma on July 1-5: Dr A. Mutti, Organising Secretary 3rd INAMeeting, Laboratory of Industrial Toxicology, University of Parma, V)aGramsci 14, 43100 Parma, Italy (39-521 290344).

Annual meeting of the European Society for Pediatric Research is totake place in Zurich on Sept l--4: Gabriel Duc, University Hospital of Zurich,Frauenklinikstrasse 10, ZH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland (41 12555340).