wake of claims that they knew little about Multiple Sclerosis.

Consultant internist Dr. Wilbert Warner denied the claim made by 28-year-old Mrs. Gracelyn Monterro who learned she had MS after seeing a neurologist in New York.

Mrs. Monterro said she suffered from mood swings, dizzy spells, and numbness for two years, but neither her doctor nor anyone at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital knew what was wrong.

The mother of two, who noted that 1993 was the year of MS, said it cost $2,100 to be tested and treated abroad.

And she stressed the need for a neurologist in Bermuda and for people to be educated about MS.

Dr. Warner, who has come across eight to nine patients with MS, said the disease is a "very complex'' one which doctors are well aware of.

And though there is no cure or proven treatment for MS, it can be clinically diagnosed in Bermuda.

Dr. Warner said he was not familiar with Mrs. Monterro's case, but said a person with MS does not need to be diagnosed by a neurologist.

Saying it was difficult to diagnose MS after one attack, he said: "Her (Mrs.

Monterro's) GP may have been very confused by her symptoms''.

He said it is advisable to see if symptoms persist before going abroad for confirmatory tests.

Dr. Warner also said as patients need only be tested once, it is less expensive for them to go abroad, rather than purchase sophisticated equipment locally.

He added a visiting neurologist would not be the solution because he may not be here when needed.

His remarks were echoed by internal medicine consultant Dr. Marion Watlington.

She said it would be good to have a neurologist and MS testing equipment available, the expense could not be justified by the few victims of the disease in Bermuda.

She said MS is usually diagnosed after everything else is ruled out.

Having seen about a dozen MS patients in the last 10 years, she said MS can range from "practically nothing'' in some people to "a devastating illness'' for others.

This was confirmed by reports that one person with MS is confined to Agape House and two of Dr. Warner's MS patients who said they were leading fairly normal lives.

The women, who did not want to be named, both began suffering from symptoms of MS in their mid 20s and were diagnosed shortly afterwards.

The 29-year-old hospital worker and the 27-year-old clerk, had confirmatory tests in Boston after suffering symptoms ranging from fatigue to numbness of limbs.

One of the women also disputed Mrs. Monterro's claim no local doctors knew whether anaesthesia could be administered to an MS patient, saying she had it within the past two years and was fine.

Hospital anaesthesiologist consultant Dr. Andrew Spencer added doctors were "well aware'' of MS. He said Mrs. Monterro was told she was not operated on because of a chest infection.