Health Report

THE GOOD NEWS

-- The amount of lead in Americans' blood has dropped dramatically in the past decade and a half, says the federal Centers for Disease Control. A shocking 78% of the population had elevated lead levels in the late 1970s; by the end & of the '80s, the number was just 4.3%. The primary reason: government regulations that banned leaded gasoline and lead-based solder.

-- Students who think nothing of pulling all-nighters, take note: experiments with both rats and humans have convinced researchers that people who get plenty of sleep are better at learning things. The brain evidently uses its rest periods to consolidate new memories.

THE BAD NEWS

-- People who sustain spinal-cord injuries are often rushed into surgery; the idea is to relieve swelling and thus reduce the chance of permanent paralysis. But this may amount to taking an unnecessary risk. A study has found that one year after the trauma, people who went under the knife immediately were no better off, on average, than those who didn't.