Her unbridled love of La Jolla The La Jolla Historical Society joins the chorus of so many others in expressing our deep sorrow at the passing of Ellen Revelle. The Society is privileged to have benefited from Ellen’s unbridled love of La Jolla, just one of countless community organizations that stand today as a lasting legacy to her support of local heritage and culture and her shining example of selfless giving. Along with her family, Ellen enthusiastically carried on the philanthropic spirit of her famous, beloved great-aunt, Ellen Browning Scripps, on whose historic property the La Jolla Historical Society sits today — an honor we hold with the deepest regard and respect. For a woman with such a quiet voice, the silence now left by Ellen Revelle’s passing is deafening. May her extraordinary sense of community and spirit of generosity be cherished by La Jollans for many, many years to come.  John Bolthouse?, Executive Director, La Jolla Historical Society Interspecies gene swapping? As a retired pathologist, I am surprised at the scant attention given to the health hazards posed by the current conditions existing at the Children’s Pool. Particularly as it is now established that viruses affecting animals can infect man either directly or by a mutation. I Googled the words “seals” and “influenza” and was presented with 625,000 entries. One has only to peruse the first page to learn that harbor seals are very susceptible to epidemics of influenza that are often severe and can be fatal. As the Pool is frequently visited by aquatic birds, it is not reassuring to find that both seals and humans are susceptible to influenza viruses of avian origin. At times, there are close to 200 harbor seals inhabiting the Pool, wallowing in their own raw sewage. The polluted condition is such that those responsible would be subject to prosecution if found at a zoo or dog kennel. What is most disturbing is that it would be difficult to devise a better milieu or environment for the study of mutations of the influenza and other viruses. As human swimmers, seals and birds commingle in the Pool, opportunities for the swapping of genes from the different species are provided. This type of evolution is called horizontal gene transfer. While the evolution of a dangerous influenza viral mutant in the Pool may be an unlikely event, its occurrence would be catastrophic, with regional and worldwide implications. Certainly, taking this risk can never be justified. This is not a local matter to be decided by the majority of the electorate, or the courts. We already have in place agencies such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who have the expertise to make informed decisions affecting public health. Cecil Hougie, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Pathology, UCSD