Dr. Healy's informative comments omit the preferred option, continuing the (unplanned) pregnancy. Americans aren't being honest when they look for every option except that one. A mother can choose adoption, an honorable choice, so her baby can have a chance at life. Rather than have to seek adoptable babies abroad, thousands of American couples would love to have an opportunity to adopt one of these supposedly "unwanted" babies.
RICHARD KING
Rockford, Ill.
Maintaining Majesty
I will gladly overlook the shortcomings of the Founding Fathers in view of their magnificent achievements ["The Sorry Legacy of the Founders," January 12]! How comfortable and safe it is for a group of so-called historians to Monday-morning quarterback these great men 200 years after they gave birth to the philosophical ideal of a democratic republic at enormous personal risk. I dare say that there isn't a thimbleful of that kind of courage in the whole lot of these revisionists.
WARREN A. NADEAU
Newport, Wash.
The Art Of Translation
Kudos for your fine profile of Edith Grossman ["Tilting at Sentences," January 26]. As longtime translators (French-English, English-French), we applaud wholeheartedly Grossman's exemplary work. While working assiduously to attempt to put down and re-create each author's precise thoughts, whether it be in prose or poetry, we are constantly reminded of the Italian aphorism traduttore, traditore (the translator is a betrayer). Succinctly, translation is a painstaking art that is not too often appreciated.
MEL AND CINDY YOKEN
North Dartmouth, Mass.
Skin Therapy
"Drugs To Save Your Skin" [January 12] outlines a number of new therapies that are currently available or that may be available for the treatment of various skin disorders. Among the emerging therapies, infliximab (Remicade) is mentioned and described as a potentially promising new therapy for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. However, to imply that Remicade should be used only as a "last-ditch treatment" because of potentially violent reactions that may result from its protein origins is misleading. As with all therapeutic proteins, including Remicade, infrequent but serious reactions may occur, and appropriate caution should be used whenever these products are administered. Most reactions are manageable and infrequently require discontinuation of therapy.
JEROME A. BOSCIA, M.D.
Senior Vice President
Clinical Research & Development
Centocor Inc.
Malvern, Pa.
advertisement
