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The investigation involved the recording of pressure changes in the reticulum and rumen of sheep. Rapid, intravenous injection of pentagastrin (0.2-1.0 microgram/kg body wt.) inhibited motility during eating and rumination as well as in sheep at rest. In anaesthetized sheep, after bilateral cervical vagotomy, contractions of the reticulum and rumen produced by stimulation of the vagus nerve were not prevented by pentagastrin injections (0.2-1.0 microgram/kg body wt.). In anaesthetized sheep with the left vagus nerve intact, stimulation of the central end of the right vagus nerve failed to elicit reflex contractions of the reticulum for 210-390 s after the intravenous injection of pentagastrin (0.6-0.7 microgram/kg body wt.).

Emulsions of C18 unsaturated fatty acids (FA) were infused for 2 h into the intestine of conscious sheep while motility of the reticulum and rumen was recorded. Statistically-significant depression of motility was found when 3 or 5 g FA/h were infused. At 1 g/h there were minor disruptions of motility. The inhibitory potency was not related to the extent of unsaturation of the FA. Receptors mediating the inhibitory effect were postulated to be distal to the iliac flexure of the duodenum, but the possible role of bile and pancreatic juice is discussed in relation to this problem. The probability that the effect was hormonally mediated is discussed.

Immediately after Easter, employed people will be asked to consider taking out 'personal pensions', following major changes in legislation governing pensions provision. It will become illegal to make membership of an occupational pension scheme a condition of employment. Some nurses are already outside occupational pension schemes, for one reason or another. The majority, who are in National Health Service scheme, will have the option of giving up their occupational pension and either relying on SERPS (State Earnings Related Scheme) or taking out a personal pension.

The number of visits to an in-house industrial medical clinic, of absences in three categories, and of late arrivals found in 1,505 employees of an automobile assembly plant were compared with respect to the age, sex, race, department, and shift characteristics of the employees. Less than 16% of the work force was found to account for over 50% of the medical visits. Those 235 frequent visitors were found to have significantly more absences and more tardiness compared with the rest of the plant population. The frequent visitors who completed a health risk appraisal had significantly greater health risks compared with a responding sample of nonfrequent visitors.