Welsh Journals

matter of time before a major collision or berthing accident occurs, where there are 7,000 shipping movements, carrying 43,000,000 tons of cargo, each year, and admits that it is difficult to assess the effects of the current oil exploration in the so-called Celtic Sea. It is a pity that Dr. John has not taken the trouble to spell the placenames of his native county correctly, or that he should have relied on unreliable historians for his medieval historical references. The booklet is essential reading, however, and is obtainable from the publishers, The Geographical Association, 343 Fullwood Road, Sheffield at 55p. The Pembrokeshire Historian, No. 4, the journal of the Pembrokeshire Local History Society, also contains a lengthy article by Dr. Brian John on The Linguistic Significance of the Pembrokeshire Landsker," the result of a survey he carried out along that invisible line separating the Welshry of the north of the county from Little England Beyond Wales". Professor E. G. Bowen's contribution on seafaring in the days of sailing ships is of considerable interest to the conservationist and the student of land management. The journal is available at 75p from the society's office, 4, Victoria Place, Haverfordwest. Rabies in Animals and Man by Geoffrey P. West: David and Charles: £ 2.75. Not an appealing title or a pleasant subject, or a book for the squeamish. Rabies (Latin for madness) is transmited by saliva: a single rabid wolf once bit 128 people, a vampire bat may convey it to a sleeping man without waking him as it sucks blood from his toe. It is now established that rabies may appear through eating infected food or even by inhaling virus particles. The description of the dreaded illness is quite horrible, and death is almost certain. The disease is on the increase and the author, a retired veterinary surgeon, pro- vides comprehensive information on the subject for parents, farmers, campers, naturalists and pet owners vaccination of domestic animals, quarantine, the development of vaccines for humans, treat- ment. It has been estimated 40-50% of people bitten by a known rabid animal do not develop the disease even if untreated. This is a comfort, and so is the knowledge that the infection in man is a 'dead end' one in that he does not transmit the virus to another person or animal! For those who like this sort of book, this is the sort of book they will like.