A New Orleans doctor believes that "the lunatic phase of Communist ideology seems to be over in Russia."
Dr. Frank N. Low, professor at the Louisiana State university medical school, said things are very different in Russia now from what they were when he visited the country in 1934. ;
"In ,1934, the Cathedral of St. Isaac, one of the greatest Cathedrals of all times, had been turned into an anti-religious
museum," said the physician, who has just returned from a seven-month scientific tour of Europe. "The cathedral was filled with pictures ridiculing religion and religious practices."
Dr. Low said now the same cathedral serves as an architectural museum. He said churches, closed in 1934, are now open; religion no longer seems to be the subject of ridicule, and in Poland and Czechoslovakia; priests and nuns are again appearing in religious garb.
, NO SIGNS OF WANT
The physician said that when he Visited Leningrad' in 1934, tile people'looked hungry-; that their clothes were ragged and many of them appeared on the streets with their feet wrapped up in burlap or paper, tied with string. .
"Today," added the physician, | who spent five weeks in Iron Curtain countries, "everyone seems to be well shod. There is no sign of starvation .and four meals a day is the rule. People in the streets are well clothed and the military uniforms, this winter, were made of the best possible material."
Dr. Low said there were no beggars on the streets and the people did not seem to be un-haopy.
He said the huge Gum store in Moscow, which is more like a bazaar than a department store, is well stocked. Food stores are similarly well stocked, although they do not boast as many staples as American stores, he said.
"On the five-mile ride from the center of Moscow to the airport I noticed new, fine-looking apartment houses being built .all along the way," added Dr. Low." And, as I traveled by train from Moscow to Leningrad, I noticed that in the small towns along the way the economic condition of the peo-
—Photo by The Times-Picayune. AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPE is exhibited by Br. Frank
N. Low, professor at Louisiana State university. Dr. Low has just completed seven months sabbatical leave making a survey of European laboratories doing work in electron microscopy. Five weeks of the trip were in Iron Curtain countries. These countries, he said, are at least seven to eight years behind this country in the field from the standpoint of technical development.
"
pie seemed very good.
SEVEN YEARS BEHIND
Dr. Low said he was very much impressed with the kindness of the Russian people. Nowhere did he meet with antagonism, and "in general the Russians seemed to be indistinguishable from us," he said. I
■■■'* 'Once you get behind the iron curtain and look at life in the! streets, there is startlingly little! difference between life there and' life in America," he addd. !
Dr. Low admitted, however, that when it comes to technical development in the field of electron mi-1 croscopy, the countries behind the iron curtain "are at least seven to eight years behind us."
The professor said he decided to use his sabbatical leave in mak-; ing a survey of European labora-i tories doing work in this field. As; a part of this survey, he visited 150 laboratories in 20 European j countries.
ELECTRON MICROSCOPE
The electron microscope, as you know, is a remarkable microscope which uses an electron beam instead of light as radiant energy," he said. "The advantage, of course;, is that an electron beam can; make images of things, much smaller .than those which can be-• made by & light beam.1 With the aid of ail electron microscope we can see parts of a cell, which we never before knew existed. In pathology, we can see a biological process never before! seen."
photo:AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPE is exhibited by Br. Frank
N. Low, professor at Louisiana State university. Dr. Low has just completed seven months sabbatical leave making a survey of European laboratories doing work in electron microscopy. Five weeks of the trip were in Iron Curtain countries. These countries, he said, are at least seven to eight years behind this country in the field from the standpoint of technical development.
