Mechnikov

[David Gentle]

> In 1908, the same year as the Tunguska event, the Russian microbiologist
> Ilya Mechnikov received the Nobel prize in medicine for his research of
> phagocytosis. Quite possible that Mechnikov's ideas might find their way
> into the new novel as well. I remember watching some TV feature in which
> it was said that Mussolini really liked the notion of the organism's
> struggle against foreign bodies and suggested something like 'social
> phagocytosis' meaning society's duty to get rid of any alien elements. I
> couldn't find anything in the Internet to corroborate the latter.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilya_Mechnikov
One of the things that makes GR suxh an interesting novel is the unexpected
range of references and tones in the book. I worry that if the P-List
researches every possible thing that could have happened in the period of
the novel we won't have much to be dazzled about in the actual novel itself.
Why not let uncle P. just tell you all about it?

DG