Letter to the editor Health tips given to geologists

Canadian geologists are called upon to travel the world for employers. A few years ago you published an article concerning the need to use an air filter when exploring adits and caves in tropical countries where bats carry a disease that affects the lungs. There are a dozen other dread tropical dangers lurking there for the unwary. Canadian outdoor people come to regard the natural environment as essentially benign — an attitude which can kill the unwary in tropical countries.

Those who travel should consider doing is supporting the International Association For Medical Assistance To Travellers (IAMAT), 1287 St. Clair Ave. W., Toronto, Ont. M6E 1B8. Each year IAMAT updates a list of approved doctors in 135 countries. It reviews the qualifications of the listed doctors in light of western standards, their ability to peak a western language and their acceptance of the IAMAT fee schedule. Hugh Jones Calgary, Alta.