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Electroquackery has a history all its own that is as long and colorful as that of legitimate electromedicine. But then, the difference between serious research and outright fraud has often been a little unclear. At a time when electricity was only beginning to be understood, fakers proposed devices that seemed no stranger to the general public than the proposed devices of legitimate researchers, and the theories of even the most extravagant charlatan could gain a ready following because they hardly seemed less believable than the phenomena they were supposed to explain.

The article discusses the pottery of the Mimbres, a tribe who lived in what is now New Mexico from 200 A.D. until 1150 A.D. Many of the designs on the pottery use dark space turning into light space, and vice versa. Archeologists such as J. J. Brody have used the pottery to learn about the culture of the Mimbres, drawing connections between the pottery of the Mimbres and their burial rites. The paintings and imagery found on the pots, which include animals such as deer and turtles, have also been used to discover more about the lives of the Mimbres.

The article focuses on the ceramic art of Cliff Garten, which combines architecture and ceramics to, according to the author, alter the perception of space and to give the viewer a chance to enjoy rich and sensual colors purely for enjoyment. After attending Alfred University in Alfred, New York and the Rhode Island School of Design in Rhode Island, Garten began to manipulate ceramic vessels, space, and architectural concepts for his art. The author likens Garten's art to other artists such as Jennifer Bartlett, and the evolution of his own style to the evolution of different movements in the art world.

The objective of this work was to study the prevalence of the Factor V Leiden mutation in an obstetrical clinic largely comprised of African‐American women. A cross‐sectional study was performed evaluating a total of 231 consecutive women of African‐American origin. Of these patients, 21 were considered at high risk for thrombosis, but none was found to carry the mutation. One patient (0·4 per cent) of the total was heterozygous for the Factor V Leiden mutation. African‐American women do not appear to be at an increased risk of being heterozygous or homozygous for the Leiden mutation. This low prevalence may be confounded by ascertainment bias in a population of pregnant women. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The objective of this work was to study the prevalence of the Factor V Leiden mutation in an obstetrical clinic largely comprised of African-American women. A cross-sectional study was performed evaluating a total of 231 consecutive women of African-American origin. Of these patients, 21 were considered at high risk for thrombosis, but none was found to carry the mutation. One patient (0·4 per cent) of the total was heterozygous for the Factor V Leiden mutation. African-American women do not appear to be at an increased risk of being heterozygous or homozygous for the Leiden mutation. This low prevalence may be confounded by ascertainment bias in a population of pregnant women. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Against the Grain," by Peter Coyote.