What's in a name

[Michael Gochfeld]

At the risk of digressing too far from Leps---but keeping with the 
thread on systematics, allow me to illustrate with the following about 
the importance of systematics which biomedical professionals overlook. 

Some time ago a very distinguished hepatotoxicologist gave a profound 
and stimulating lecture at our university.  He ended it with the typical 
academic mantra----"More research is needed".  Which he illustrated with 
the following slide, illustrating the "chaos in our knowledge about 
susceptibility of the liver to toxic chemicals". 

Species which are susceptible to the hepatic effects of carbon 
tetrachloride. 
Human yes
Chicken  No 
Duck  No 
Mouse  yes
Rat    yes
Turtle  No
Trout   No
Leopard Frog  No
Rabbit   Yes
Dog      Yes

He concluded that about half of species are susceptible and half are 
resistant and there was no pattern.


----------To be continued------------------

M. Gochfeld