On Wed, 10 Feb 1999, Terence Murphy wrote:

> IM working on my masters thesis through St. Joes. University in
> Philladelphia PA.  My thesis topic is the effect of a crowded work place on
> morale and productivity.  I have compiled a surveya and I'm looking for a
> crowded hospital laboratory to participate in my project.

  If you are expected to have some new questions and answers in
  your thesis, I suggest that you discuss the project with your
  academic supervisor. Much was already written by the early 1960s
  to show that crowding had adverse consequences, and much more
  must now be known. Even by 1962 it had been shown that mice would
  start fighting if there were more than a certain number per square
  inch of cage floor space, and (gasp!) the gentlemice did most of
  the fighting at first. The womice came in later, when they were
  the majority, and gnawed off the testes of all but the fastest
  gentlemice. Thus, genes for aggression and speed got passed
  on to the mildren, and this is still going on ....

  I.N'Stein & N.Obelpreiz (1999: Nat. Enq. 41: 6-9) report 99.1%
  of the genome as identical in rodents and primates, so it may not
  be necessary to use questions to find out whether people like
  to be crowded at work. The answer probably lies in the jeans.

  Probably you will get many other suggestions in response to your
  enquiry. I suggest that you let a clear calendar month elapse
  before making a mature evaluation of the statements and opinions.
  Then, on that Thursday, make your decision about what to do.

  John Kiernan.
  London, Canada.