14 JANUARY 1995, Page 24

`D' for diarrhoea

Sir: Thanks to Ian Hislop for the timely piece on his refusal to wear a red ribbon for World Aids Day (Arts, 31 December). Can I suggest that he wears a 'D' for diarrhoea on his lapel in future, rather than an 'I,' for leukaemia?

Diarrhoea is the largest single cause of infant mortality in the world today: how many lives might be saved if the money spent on finding a curd for Aids was spent on providing clean drinking water, good sanitation and carbolic soap for those parts of the globe that so sorely need them?

Ian Marchant

40 Perth Street, Lancaster