§ 94. Mr. Benceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research is being conducted by his Department into the increased sickling of parasitised erythocytes as a mechanism of resistance against malaria in the sickle-cell trait.
§ Mr. FowlerThis concept was developed by a Medical Research Council scientist some 16 years ago; studies on its mechanism are continuing under the council's auspices and elsewhere. Recent work at University College Hospital, Ibadan, has given further support to the hypothesis that the increased sickling of infected red blood cells facilitates their earlier removal from the circulation.