Researchers investigating the death of a woman in 2004 from a rare form of Alzheimer's disease, which has been linked to the poisoning of the drinking water supply in a town in south west England, are calling for all local residents to be monitored for any signs of impaired cognitive function (Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry 2006 doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2005.086553).

But local heath officials say that the health of local people is already under review. North and East Cornwall Primary Care Trust's director of public health, Denis Cronin, told the BMJ, “When you …