Slightly off subject, but still relevant to osmotic gradients, ion concentrations, etc, I came across this dreadful account (l.salkeld@dailymail.co.uk) of the death of a perfectly healthy young woman. She was swept away by a swollen stream during a practice hike for the Ten Tors, but was still very much alive when she was found. She was airlifted to the Derriford hospital in Plymouth where she survived until the next day. Obviously, I do not know the details of this terrible incident, and only a preliminary inquest has been conducted; however, it looks very much as though Charlotte died through secondary drowning – a process which I believed had been eliminated almost completely nowadays by the application of careful and intensive nursing. I may, on the other hand, be talking complete nonsense. I wonder whether anyone would care to comment on this tragedy, and could someone explain how to prevent secondary drowning?.