A health questionnaire given to 1801 children aged 12-14 in the Highland region of Scotland found that 18% said that they had asthma despite the absence of major outdoor pollution (Archives of Disease in Childhood 1997;76:22-6). No consistent association was found between respiratory symptoms and indoor pollutants such as peat smoke, but the prevalence of wheeze, cough, and atopy was higher in children who had lived in more than one house, suggesting that increased mobility of families might be more important than exposure to any individual allergens.

Acne has become less common in teenagers in the past 20 years but has become more common in older adults. A review of 200 patients over the age of 25 seen in Leeds (British Journal of Dermatology 1997;136:66-70) found that 152 were women. In 32 patients the acne was of late onset–it had not started until after the age of 25. Most of the patients had failed to respond to antibiotics.

A prospective study of 22 071 male doctors enrolled in the physicians' health study found that during 11 years of follow up 1206 died (Archives of Internal Medicine 1997;157:79-85). The relative risk of death from all causes was lowest in those who drank 5-6 units of …