Newsgroups: sci.med
From: dbailey@cix.compulink.co.uk (Diane Bailey)
Subject: Re: Deodorants Harmful?
Reply-To: dbailey@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 09:35:00 +0000



As Brian (bhjelle@carina.unm.edu) has already kindly pointed out,
the attribution in my last posting should have been to himself
rather than to Brian (brian@ucsd.edu).

An error in manual editing; my apologies to all concerned.

Perhaps some surnames might be useful on signatures.

Now, I'm slightly puzzled as to why replies on this topic are
being laced with observations like "if I can follow this", and
"surely a non-sequitur" when the gentlemen do not seem to have
any real cause for problems.  Is something else going on here?

And to return to the topic, I have not said that Alzheimers is
caused by aluminium, but instead that I'm concerned that there
might be a link.  The homoeopathic provings, which ARE scientific
in their own terms and for their own purposes, are enough grounds
for such concern, since Altheimers-alike symptoms were recorded.
Rhodium, to comment on another posting, only caused head pains in
provings, so is not brought into question with regard to
Alzheimers by homoepathic studies.  In some of the Devon cases
symptoms are very like Alzheimers too, yet are being officially
dismissed as not caused by aluminium.  I'm never happy when
someone makes a categorical statement about there being *NO*
connection, or *NO* evidence, unless some figures and references
are provided.  And I'm curious that no reference has been made to
the reported possible evidence of Alzheimers being linked to
infection through the food chain - reported in south-east Asia
where relatives have by custom eaten the brains of their dead,
and in connection with so-called mad-cow disease.

We have here a very frightening (but often hidden) disease which
may often have an extremely long gestation, but not always (if
that in AIDS is true Alzheimers then it develops much more
rapidly). some suggest it is a natural occurance in old-age
(whatever that is, exactly; I know my great-great-grandmother
had many of the symptoms when she died at 102).  And some of its
symptoms can be reproduced in connection with aluminium, in some
people at least.  And there might be a genetic connection.

I would like to be *sure* that an aluminium connection can be
ruled out.  It hasn't been at all difficult for me to remove the
metal from my cooking and food storage (iron, coated, ceramic and
plastic ware were easily substituted) but the anti-perspirant
connection is another question (as is the use in make-up) and one
where I don't see commercially available substitutes.  I was
aware of, and avoid the indigestion products which contain it.
Many other people are using the metal in ways that worry me -
aluminium kettles, and pans for cooking fruit, for example,
especially in poorer circumstances.  Given the size of the
aluminium industry and the investment involved, and how, for
example, lead was also very widely used in what turned out to
extremely dangerous functions with regard to human intake in the
past (even Queen Victoria's husband is said to have died directly
as a result of this, when the symptoms of lead poisoning, and the
homoeopathic provings of lead were already known) I do think that
some concern (as in "could there be a hidden danger here?") is
warranted.

Diane Bailey
Newsgroups: sci.med