  We present the first results from an all-sky maser-line survey of symbiotic
Miras. Interferometric spectral-line observations of R Aqr and H1-36 Arae have
revealed a 22-GHz water maser in the former and 1612-MHz hydroxyl and weak
22-GHz water maser emission from the latter. H1-36 has thus become the first
known symbiotic OH/IR star. We have also detected weak OH line emission from
the vicinity of R Aqr, but we note that there are small discrepencies between
the OH- and H2O-line velocities and positions. These detections demonstrate
unequivocally that dust can shield some circumstellar hydroxyl and water
molecules from dissociation, even in systems which possess intense local
sources of UV. Finally, we discuss some of the implications of these
observations. The narrow profile of the water maser in R Aqr means that there
may finally be an opportunity to determine the system's orbital parameters. We
also point out that high resolution synthesis observations may trace the
distribution of dust in H1-36 and R Aqr, possibly throwing light on the
mass-loss process in symbiotic Miras and placing constraints on the amount of
collimation experienced by UV radiation from their hot, compact companions.
