Gratitude

Every consumer in this area owes a debt of gratitude to the people who worked so hard to solve this mystery of the listeria monocytogenes food poisoning so quickly.

Dr. Peter Heseltine, Dr. M. Lynn Yonekura, nurse epidemiologist Carol Salminen (the bug lady), Dr. Shirley Fannin, Dr. Laurene Mascola and the ever-present Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta have proved what bright people working together can accomplish.

It is sad that the solution comes too late to help the first 30 or so victims. But surely hundreds of others have been spared more agony because these medical detectives gave it their best.

DAVID FALLIS

Hollywood