2 DECEMBER 1932, Page 17

ALUMINIUM AND HEALTH

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In your issue of November 25th, the interesting article, " The Modern House," by G. M. Boumphrey, refers to the possibility of danger to health arising from detritus left after Cleaning, aluminium cooking vessels with " steel wool."

This possibility received confirmation in a recent com- munication to the British Medical Journal (19th ultimo). The ease reported was that of a healthy male, who some hours after taking dinner—not at his own house—was seized with very severe gastric pain. So intolerable was the pain that he left his bed and rolled on the floor in agony. His doctor prescribed speedily helpful remedies and the pain subsided. Three weeks later the patient complained of a small tender spot beneath the skin of his abdomen. Under a local anaesthetic a piece of bright yellow wire—five-eights of an inch—was removed. The report adds, " obviously a fragment of wire from the wire sponge used to clean out cooking utenctils."—I am, Sir, &c.,