"I am now convinced that one of the major problems is that scientists are unwilling to use the four-letter word 'safe.'"
Elizabeth M. Whelan,
president of the American Council on Science and Health.
(The New York Times, August 4, 1999,
"Study Inconclusive on Chemicals' Effects" by Gina Kolata)

To the Editor:
Scientists and the public have reason to be excited about the technique developed by Dr. Robert A. Weinberg to induce malignant transformation in human cells (front page, July 29). Scientists induced such cancerous changes in rodents 15 years ago.
The fact that it took so many years to accomplish this feat in humans illustrates how differently carcinogens affect rodents than humans.

During late January 1999 in a Bronx, New York City, intermediate school, 80 students and teachers fell suddenly and mysteriously ill, 40Â60 students became sick the next day, and 1,200 students were twice "evacuated." The complaints the victims reported included piercing headaches, chest pain, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, dizziness, fainting, and weakness. Said the principal: "Some felt nauseous, and their legs were weak. It was almost like they were hallucinating." Thirty-three students and three teachers were taken to hospitals, where oxygen was administered to some.

To the Editor:
Holcomb B. Noble's article discussing the heavy burden of asthma faced by poor, largely minority children in New York City (News article, July 27, 1999) neglects to mention a prime trigger of children's asthma: cigarette smoke. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is known to increase severity of asthma symptoms, and to impair recovery following hospitalization of asthmatic children.

To the Editor:
Jane Brody was correct to advise us to continue to consume fiber, despite a recent Harvard study that found fiber not to be protective against colon cancer ("Keep the Fiber Bandwagon Rolling, for Heart and Health," July 20).
The fact that this article was even necessary points out the perils of making unwarranted health claims.

If, as a libertarian, Walter Olson ("The Florida Tobacco Jurors: Anything But Typical," Rule of Law, July 12) is truly against government intervention in tobacco regulation, he should favor the arena of litigation. There must be some distinction between liberty and anarchy. While there are justifiable objections to excessive legal fees in frivolous lawsuits, why Mr. Olson would choose to attack a verdict against the tobacco behemoth is a mystery. His quibbling with the plaintiff attorney's jury selection tactic--that Mr.

For years researchers have been investigating the hypothesis that trace levels of such industrial chemicals as pesticides, chlorinated compounds, and heavy metals are hazardous to human health.
Although studies have failed to establish a causal relationship, some scientists and activist groups continue to emphasize the role of trace levels of synthetic chemicals in human illness.

Over and over, virtually inescapably, the "food police" exhort us to keep so-called junk food away from children in order to steer them toward healthy dietary habits. Recent research findings, however, suggest that attempts at policing youngsters' food choices may boomerang.

The May 29, 1999, issue of the British journal The Lancet includes a thoughtful letter from two physicians in the state of Washington who pondered how to respond when a patient asks "Doctor, is wine good for my heart?"

The plastic softener found in vinyl toys and medical devices are not harmful to children or adults, according to a distinguished panel of leading physicians and scientists chaired by former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop.
The panel, convened by the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH), issued its much-anticipated report after a comprehensive review of the scientific literature concerning the phthalates DEHP and DINP. DEHP and DINP are added to vinyl medical devices and toys, respectively, to provide desirable qualities such as flexibility.