Letters to editor [Letter from Brisbane]

A short memoir piece about the 2011 Brisbane floods. We’re drawing to the close of a day when, thankfully, the water level has peaked lower than forecasts had predicted. In the most extreme emergencies, homes have been picked up and washed away...

A sweet promise among Malaysians [Letter to the Editor]

The prevalence of diabetes in Malaysia has increased by almost twofold indicating that for every six Malaysians older than 30, one is diabetic.1 In Malaysia, diabetes is reportedly most common among persons of Indian descent followed by the Malays and Chinese...

Letter to the editor - Name that plant scientifically, please!

The report of Brunfelsia poisoning of dogs in Sydney by Drs Singh, Cowan and Child is very welcome, but it raises one important scientific point that has been further highlighted by the letter from Dr Seavers. Neither in the case report nor in Dr Seavers' letter is the species or cultivar of the plants identified. There are about 40 known Brunfelsia species, a number of which are cultivated in tropical to temperate climate gardens in Australia. It is noteworthy that Dr Seavers speculates about the Brunfelsia plants involved in dog poisonings in Australia, suggesting that 'dwarf' plants may be more poisonous ...

Letter to the Editor: Calculation of photoionized plasmas with an average-atom model

We use a simple average-atom model (NIMP) to calculate the distribution of ionization in a photoionization-dominated plasma, for comparison with recent experimental measurements undertaken on the Z-machine at the Sandia National Laboratory. The agreement between theory and experiment is found to be as good for calculations with an average-atom model as for those generated by more detailed models.

Letter to the Editor of the Globe

Letter Regarding the Burning of St. Davids (3 ½ handwritten pages) A letter to the editor of the Globe regarding the lack of historical knowledge displayed by the Globe’s correspondent regarding the descendants of those who fought at Queenston Heights and the burning of St. Davids in 1813 or 1814 [July 18, 1814]. The letter also mentions the “friendly Indians” who encamped in St. Davids. The letter is not signed nor dated. A transcript of the letter is enclosed, [The burning of St. Davids by the American troops on July 19, 1814 was an unjustifiable act. The officer who led the attack was court-martialed and dismissed from the service.] n.d.