———I begin this letter with my credentials for the following comments. I have a doctorate in biology, and taught undergraduate classes at Knoxville College (an excellent black institution) while a senior scientist at the Biology Division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Subsequently, while a tenured professor at the University of Georgia, I taught human physiology and other related courses.

My concern is that seriously flawed information has been distributed concerning the possible cause of the death at the boot camp. The scientific facts are that young black males in particular are at risk in some environments, such as in hot weather in lower Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, and may die from the trait.

I suggest that all interested parties use Google to search specifically for “sickle cell trait mortality.” This is an area that has been extensively researched, and suggestions have been made that parents with affected young children involved in rigorous exercise in hot and humid weather should be aware of possible symptoms that may be displayed by kids placed under stress.

It has furthermore been suggested that administrators of such programs be made aware by parents of affected students of the need to monitor such children carefully.

Finally, my concern is not for the medical examiner’s decision from the first autopsy. Certainly there are standard blood tests, blood-cell smears, etc. that would be used in such a decision and would be incontrovertible regardless of the surrounding circus. The main problem is that apparently many black parents, and for that matter, a limited number of non-black ethnics who may also be affected by the sickle cell trait do not know this real scientific data and as a consequence may not be able to protect their children from exposure to environments that may be dangerous.

Ellen Mattingly, Southport  4/28/06  News-Herald