it may be actually physically correct that the reflections disappear, since what actually matters is the IOR ratio of 2 surfaces, not any single IOR - for most materials in air the IOR ratio is mtl ior / air IOR, where air IOR is 1.003 (+-), which is basically 1 - so you dont need to divide. But as soon as you have something inside water, or glass, 1.52 / 1.33 or 1.33 / 1.52 is quite different from 1.52 or 1.33, respectively.
too tired to word it better, perhaps somebody will understand it :D