Alcohol calculus.

"A toast to thin blood" (SN: 11/12/05, p. 317) says, "the blood of people who consume 3 to 6 drinks weekly was less likely to clot in a test tube than was the blood from nondrinkers." I wonder if there is a rebound effect that could make the blood of new abstainers even more likely to clot than that of regular nondrinkers. In other words, if one abruptly stops drinking, is that a temporary added risk?

TOM PASKAL, MONTREAL, QUEBEC

This is an interesting idea, but it is not one that the authors of the current study pursued.--C. BROWNLEE