The Foreign Service Journal, May 2003

and connect to the School of Medicine’s clinical trials unit. Another famous institution, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the largest nonprofit hospital in the west- ern United States, provides a Health Topics page on its Web site ( www.csmc.edu ). T he page offers health news and a health library with information on illnesses and condi- tions, drugs, new FDA drug approvals, self-help groups and complemen- tary/alternative medicine. The American Red Cross provides information about Red Cross courses, such as first aid and lifeguarding (note: these courses are not free), and infor- mation for those interested in donat- ing blood ( www.redcross.org ). There are also commercial Web sites that offer some search services, includ- ing WebMD ( www.webmd.com ), MedWebPlus ( www.medwebplus. com ), M DChoice ( www.mdchoice. com ) an d MerckSource ( www.merck source.com ). For those contemplating buying medications online, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers a Web page of tips and warnings ( www.fda. gov/oc/buyonline/default.htm ). The Centers for Disease Control maintains an updated page of “Health Related Hoaxes and Rumors” that is also useful ( www.cdc.gov/hoax_ rumors.htm ). Again, medical professionals should be contacted first for any health problem. – Stephen E. Mather, Editorial Intern 50 Years Ago I have not yet gotten over my feeling of surprise at the vast difference between the idea of the State Department and the Foreign Service that is current on Capitol Hill and what the State Department and Foreign Service really are like. I have been greatly impressed by the experienced, intelligent and dedicated civil servants with whom I have been brought into touch in my new job. — Clare Boothe Luce, Ambassador to Italy, from a speech before the American-Italy Society on April 8, 1953, in the FSJ , May 1953. C Y B E R N O T E S 14 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 0 3