Bug#120638: apt depends on libdb2 but libdb3 is installed

[colin@field.medicine.adelaide.edu.au]

Package: apt Version: 0.5.4
Severity: critical

-- System Information
Debian Release: testing/unstable
Kernel Version: Linux kneebone 2.4.13 #5 Fri Nov 16 18:49:53 EST 2001 i686 
unknown

Versions of the packages apt depends on:
ii  libc6          2.2.4-6        GNU C Library: Shared libraries and Timezone
ii  libstdc++2.10- 2.95.4-0.01100 The GNU stdc++ library

I get this error on almost all apt-get operations:

# apt-get check
Reading Package Lists... Error!
E: Dynamic MMap ran out of room
E: Error occured while processing dvi2ps (NewFileVer1)
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/dpkg/status
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

I surmise that this error is related to a change to libdb3 due to a recent 
upgrade.
I note that one can't build apt in a system with libdb3-dev installed, due to 
conflict.

This error seriously compromises one's system :)

Thanks,
Colin.