Session VI 



MANdMALlAN PHYSIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY II 

 Chairman Professor J.F. Danielli 



Dr J.S. Ueiner suggested that the discomfort zone might be higher than was 

 thought, for people could tolerate a good deal of sweating without discomfort. The 

 voluminous clothing of the Arabs kept out radiation and solar insulation, and saved 

 water. Uhen called on to do heavy work the Arab discarded most of his clothing. 

 Little was known of the effect on Europeans of continuous residence in tropical 

 climates. 



Dr E. J.Moynahan said that there was a definite relationship between lack of 

 pigmentation and the incidence of rodent ulcer and other cancers of the skin. These 

 tumours occurred more frequently in white races living nearer the Equator. In mam- 

 mals with protective coats of hair, cancers were very rare. 



Mrs G. E.C.Stone emphasized the need for aerial surveys of deserts and es- 

 pecially of arid sub- desert marginal regions as a framework on which to fit detailed 

 knowledge as it became available. Much geological survey work could be carried 

 out by means of aerial photographs, a method that saved a considerable amount of 

 time. At present photo- geologists concentrated on the areas in which oil and other 

 minerals were likely to be found; but Professor Prescott had already said that in 

 Australia water was considered the most important mineral. Photo- geological me- 

 thods might indicate the direction of an aquifer, and the survey of desert marginal 

 areas might assist protection against the extension of man- made deserts. 



After the discussion, Dr Frank Malina spoke on behalf of UNESCO, and Pro- 

 fessor J. F. Danielli, Honorary Secretary of the Institute of Biology, summed up. He 

 said that from the papers presented at the symposium it was apparent that indivi- 

 dual deserts presented a multitude of different problems. Scientific investigation 

 must preceed development, but in most cases the major difficulties were social, 

 moral and political and presented problems of ethics rather than of science. 



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