Traditional healers are sometimes favoured over conventional health practitioners in sub-Saharan Africa mainly because of familiarity, trust, accessibility, expense, and the perceived causes and nature of diseases such as AIDS. Only traditional healers are believed to be capable of treating bewitchment, and AIDS is still sometimes attributed to witchcraft. As some traditional healers claim to cure witchcraft induced AIDS-like illnesses, their interventions could be important in future AIDS related education and care (AIDS Care 2006;18: 460-6).

In support of the safest form of sex, Marie Stopes International is organising Europe's first “masturbate-a-thon” on 5 August in London. They're aiming to dispel the shame and taboos that persist around this safe form of sexual activity. Participants will be sponsored by friends and loved ones, and the event will take place in a safe, welcoming environment with dedicated areas to suit all tastes—from solo booths to a mixed sex area for the more adventurous (http://www.masturbate-a-thon.co.uk/).

Three quarters of flatulence is probably made up of bacterial gases, and their pressure in bubbles can be as high as 760 mm Hg. Some blood gases and bacterial gases are absorbed and exhaled, but the rest …