Bits & pieces

Students excluded for not paying fees: Many students around Britain are being threatened with sanctions if they do not pay their tuition fees. Universities, including Liverpool, Coventry, and Luton, are warning students that they will not be allowed to graduate or register for the next stage of their course. Ben Monks, national secretary of the National Union of Students, said, "They are making a bad situation worse."

Medics lured to the city: The problem of debt-ridden medical students being tempted by jobs in the City could escalate as the last students eligible for a grant leave the system. At least one student union has been asked by City firms to provide names of medical students.

Coloured shades could be dangerous: Research by scientists from Boots has found that the colour of a red traffic light disappears if a driver is wearing blue tinted glasses. Pink, blue, green, and other varieties of lenses could distort the wearer's vision. There are fears that this could slow the reaction time of a car or train driver, even if they are aware of the approaching signal.

Bones rewrite syphilis history: The remains of a woman found in Essex could change medical history by disproving the theory that Christopher Columbus brought syphilis to Europe after he discovered the New World in 1492. Experts estimate that the bones, which show signs of syphilis, date from between 1296 and 1445.

Flowers pose health risk: The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital has put up signs urging visitors to bring alternative presents because flowers increase the chances of patients being struck down with a bacterium called pseudomonas. The bug develops in the water when vegetation rots and is particularly active in hot weather. Up to 5000 patients die from a hospital acquired infection every year, costing the NHS £1bn, according to the National Audit Office.



studentBMJ 2001;09:217-260 July ISSN 0966-6494