June 2007

In The Wall Street Journal this April, a piece headed “Just a Spoonful of Sugar” by Yuliya Chernova described the medical use of sugar as a pain-management method for infants, e.g., during injections.

Chernova wrote, “Sugar water ingested, via a dropper or on a pacifier dipped in the solution, has been shown to reduce pain in infants up to six months old. Many neonatal units give a solution of roughly one sugar packet mixed in about one tablespoon of water prior to shots and other procedures. . .”

The Swiss Pass entitles you to a 50% fare reduction on the Brienzer Rothorn Bahn. The implication that I got from the caption on page 88 of the April ’07 issue was that it was free (“included”). We enjoyed it on a Swiss vacation in September ‘06.

• Page 99 of the April issue mentions that the funicular between Lauterbrunnen and Grütschalp has been replaced by an aerial gondola. That is since my visit last September, when it was still out of service. The post bus and cable car, always an alternative route from Lauter­brunnen to Mürren, was the only way to get up there.

I’m writing regarding the letter “An Altercation Escalated” (April ’07, pg. 66).

British Air and luggage

My wife, Patricia, has severe arthritis and walks with two canes. On a trip to Russia a few years ago, we encountered the following issues as regards accessibility.

Naha, Okinawa, Japan, has a marvelous, sophisticated monorail that offers travel in air-conditioned comfort.

Since my wife, Barbara, and I had previously planned to visit the famous Saturday market in Otavalo, Ecuador (90 kilometers north of Quito), we opted to use Hotel Ali Shungu (www.alishungu.com) for a 4-day January ’06 stay and do day trips from there.

I returned to Paris in October ’06 and visited several places of interest.

by Aleutina Altenhof, Kassel, Germany

by Betty Patterson, Largo, FL