Biological relationships

摘要

For a month or two now I have been savouring a little morsel, partly awaiting a suitable place to put it and partly from mild sadism, knowing that the provider of the gem would wonder if and when it would appear. This seems like an appropriate niche. I hope you will understand why as I shan't try to explain it. We recently undertook an exercise on a farm, a mixture of epidemiological investigation and staff awareness. At the end of the day which had been useful and interesting for everyone concerned, including us, we sat round a table for a sort of wash up session. "Well" said the boss, in way of final conclusion, "that wasn't entirely a waste of time." He looked puzzled for a while at the laughter he had caused before joining in and protesting that he didn't mean it to sound quite like that. The choice of a problem for this moth has been not so much my choice but more of a gauntlet thrown down by Helen Linfoot during her presentation at the Conference at Chester. I'll try not to steal her thunder (where on earth do these sayings come from?) and to that end we have put her talk and the others involved in the compost session in this edition of the Journal. You might like to read those and particularly hers before continuing with this. It will putwhat I shall try to say into context.