getting results from server ok but!

Hi

i have put together a php script to access a whois server that uses xml.
now i used their guides to send correct format of message but am lost as to
how to use the response.

is there some function that parses the xml so i can access results.
currently i am dumping to screen using

$result = $client->send($message);// send request

// error handler in here

print_r(get_object_vars($result)); // show result to screen

(i am new to both php and xml but have programmed in perl).

Sorry if question is a bit OT, i was going to ask how to get results from
server but googled my way thru my problems.

Mark