Water Melon Frost Warning on excessive levels of toxic mercury in 2 brands of this widely-used folk Chinese proprietary medicine
Excessive poisonous mercury has been found in two brands of a folk proprietary Chinese medicine Water Melon Frost.
The drug is widely used to treat inflammation of oral cavity, throat and gum. Its effects include dissipating heat and detoxication,diminishing swelling and relieving pain.
12 samples of different brands, comprising 8powder and 4 tablet, were put to a test of the Consumer Council to detect the levels, if any, of toxic heavy metals - arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, antimony, tin and mercury - that this proprietary Chinese drug may contain.
The sale of any drug unfit for human consumption - for example, if certain heavy metals exceed the limits set by the Department of Health - shall be an offence under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance.
The test revealed that with the exception of the 2 samples, the majority were found to be within the safety limits of the Department of Health as well as World Health Organization.
The 2 samples, both in powder form, were detected with excessive mercury amounting to 204-220 ppm and 5.9-7.82 ppm respectively.
In the case of the former sample, users are instructed to spray the powder directly onto the affected area without any specification as to the amount of each usage.
On the basis of its instructions that users, in severe conditions, may use the drug every 2 to 3 hours, it is possible that a maximum of 8dosages could be taken a day.
Though the total daily intake of the drug- and mercury - will depend crucially on the amount of each spray of the medicine by the user, some Chinese proprietary medicine manuals have put the recommended dosage at 0.3 grams per application.
So, in all probabilities, the user may consume as much as 490 to 528 micrograms of mercury a day through the use of this drug. This is in serious excess of the Department of Health's daily limit of 36 micrograms by 13 times!
In the case of the second sample in question,the problem was considerably less in normal usage because of its relatively lower content of mercury.
But if a user, in severe conditions, follows the dosage as recommended by the manufacturer, in this case, by taking orally 1 gram (1bottle) for up to 8 times a day, the daily intake of mercury could amount to 47.2-62.6 micrograms, thus exceeding the prescribed safety limit.
Mercury and its inorganic compounds may result in acute poisoning (the symptoms are severe gastrointestinal irritation, severe abdominal pain causing victim to faint, and diarrhea), or chronic poisoning (halitosis, sore tongue,lossening of the teeth, fever, nausea and diarrhea).
The Consumer Council has notified the Department of Health of the test findings on these 2 brands of Water Melon Frost.
5 out of 25 mattresses have safety hazards- they are fire prone with 3 PU foam samples releasing toxic fume
Imagine the very mattress you sleep on is prone to burning at the spark of a fire.
At least 5 mattresses available in the market displayed such deadly propensity when put to an ignitability test of the Consumer Council.
Out of a total of 25 mattress samples, 5 failed the match-flame-equivalent test which uses a precisely controlled butane flame with calorific output approximately to that of the burning match:
- One sample, a spring type, was found to smoulder for more than one hour after ignition.
- In another sample, a non-spring type, charring was found to extend a distance of more than 50mm away from the source of ignition.
- 3 others, all polyurethane (PU) foam, presented the most concern as they were found to display "escalating combustion behaviour". Since PU foam could release large amount of toxic gases, the hazard is gravely more severe in the event of fire.
Consumers are strongly advised to be extremely careful when using these dangerous fire-prone and toxic PU foam mattresses. Smoking on bed is strictly prohibited at all times.
Manufacturers, on the other hand, are urged to take steps to improve the ignitability of their products.
All samples were subjected also to as mouldering cigarette test which places lighted cigarettes on the mattresses and then examines to see if the samples are ignited. All were considered satisfactory in this aspect of the ignitability test.
The safety tests were conducted using methods specified in BS7177:1996 which is now being considered by the Government as one of the reference standards for satisfying the General Safety Requirement under the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance. Mattresses are under control of this Ordinance.
In addition to ignitability, the mattresses were tested to evaluate their firmness, structure durability and colour fastness of the cover fabric.
The test reveals that product claims of firmness may bear little validity to the actual quality of the mattress. Some "extra firm" models included in the test turned out to be softer than others.
The report points out that a firmer mattress is not necessarily better. Consumers should be guided according to their personal preference- the best firmness depends much on one's body weight and shape.
The test shows significant variations in respect of durability. Final thickness after 10,000 compressions ranged from 78% to 96%.
Generally, firmer mattresses were found to be more durable though some softer mattresses fared equally satisfactory. The least durable among the samples were the PU foam type.
Consumers are advised to consult the test findings on mattresses in this 274th issue of CHOICE.
The cellulite myth - Consumer Council unveils truth about cellulite claims and their products
Does cellulite cause the uneven appearance of the skin on the thighs and hips of women (rarely men)?
In a report in this August issue of CHOICE, the Consumer Council unmasks the truth about cellulite - and products that claim to get rid of those cellulite.
So what's cellulite? It's a name commonly found in advertisements referring to the appearance of "orange peel", "spongy" or "mattress-like" skin on women's thighs, buttocks and hips.
"Cellulite" in French or Italian is equivalent to "cellulitis" in English, referring to a medical condition -bacterial infection of the skin - which is totally different from the "cellulite" condition described by the cosmetic industry.
Manufacturers of cellulite products claim that the fat cell chambers just underneath the skin's surface become saturated with water and waste products that ain't properly eliminated. Cellulite products are formulated to allegedly provide the remedy to remove this uneven surface of the skin.
In the report, the Consumer Council clearly points out that there is little or no scientific evidence to substantiate that the so-called cellulite is caused by the accumulation of toxins and water.
In fact, it is no different from fat in any other parts of the body. Thus, products that claim to eliminate water and waste products have no effect on cellulite.
According to medical opinion, cellulite products such as creams, gels or lotions are at best able to moisturize and exfoliate the skin making it feel smoother or softer but they have no long term effect. Any moisturizer will probably be just as effective.
Cellulite treatments such as body wraps, electric stimulation, massage and ultrasound may increase blood circulation or muscle contraction but there is no evidence that they could break down fat.
Cellulite products or treatments don't come cheap and so they are more likely to reduce your bank balance than shrink your thighs.
The report notes that such dimpled effect of the skin in women is more obvious if one is overweight. There is no easy solution but to follow a balance diet and regular exercise. Liposuction may help to eliminate fat globules but one must choose an experienced registered plastic surgeon and must understand the risk and benefit before going for the therapy.
Risks in counterfeit mobile phone batteries
Consumers are cautioned against buying counterfeit mobile phone batteries. They may be cheaper but the risks far outweigh the benefit.
Most counterfeits, according to local sales agents, may become overheated during operation and charging posing fire hazards. Furthermore, the chemicals inside the battery may leak damaging the mobile phone itself.
At least one complaint has been made to the Consumer Council of a suspected counterfeit mobile phone battery that melted in the course of charging.
Included in this issue of CHOICE is a report on the subject of counterfeit mobile phone batteries and advice to consumers.
Counterfeit mobile phone batteries are hard to distinguish by appearance even to those in the trade. They come with labels and packages virtually identical as the genuine ones.
Mobile phone users are therefore advised to (a)purchase battery direct from the agents' outlets, authorised dealers, network service providers or reliable retailers; and (b) ask for and retain the receipt with relevant descriptions of model number, date of purchase, guarantee period, price, etc.
When buying batteries of independent brands of good reputation, make sure that they are compatible with the chargers and mobile phones.
The attention of consumers is also drawn to the importance of ensuring the metal terminals of the batteries do not come into contact with metal objects - such as coins, keys, etc. It could cause short circuit of the battery.
An accident suspected to be caused by the terminals of the battery being short-circuited, was reported in Taiwan last month. The handbag in which the battery was placed as well as the car seat near the handbag was damaged by the subsequent fire.
Other highlights in this 274 th issue of CHOICE:
Questionable Advertisements - results of a massive survey conducted by the Consumer Council on the extent of questionable claims in advertisements that appear on TV and the non-broadcast media. An eye-opener for consumers in the prevalence of dubious advertising.
First crash test on MPVs - 8 multi purpose vehicles (MPV) and 6 small family cars were tested for their performance in respect of frontal and side impact as well as pedestrian test in the event of a crash.