Alan Page asks why I haven't answered his question whether or not I have ever benefited from any medical advances obtained from animal experiments (Oxford Mail, October 28).

Since I have repeatedly pointed out to him that all medical progress results from clinical research and observations of the human patient, not from animal experiments which have proved to be notoriously misleading when applied to humans, I have clearly answered his question.

Mr Page obviously still thinks that we are all human-sized laboratory rats, or is it the other way round? Are rats rodent-sized humans? Perhaps he could enlighten us.

On second thoughts, maybe not! I'm still struggling to comprehend the contents of his last garbled letter, Mr Page rambling on about Nirvana, the second coming of Jesus Christ, and firebombs from the Animal Liberation Front.

In my initial letter, I had simply suggested that to assess the utility of animal experimentation, it is important to research the literature from both sets of opposing scientists before we can decide who is telling the truth. I now wish I hadn't bothered.

I didn't realised that my letter would provoke so much hysteria from Mr Page. He suggests that there is little point in any further correspondence. I couldn't agree more.

For further information, readers can contact Europeans for Medical Progress, PO Box 38604, London, W13 OYR. Those who have a closed mind on the subject need not bother.

Jim Crawford

Burton Place

Oxford