Minerva

Cancerbackup—an information and support charity—has launched a comic book for children diagnosed with cancer. It's designed to alleviate the fear and mystery surrounding childhood cancer, and to help them understand about the kinds of treatment they might undergo. Peppermint Ward is written for 6-9 year olds and can be obtained free of charge by calling 0808 800 1234. The charity also offers an interactive website to teenagers called TIC (Teen Info on Cancer; www.click4tic.org.uk).

Surgeons attending a 14 year old girl who had a gunshot wound to her ankle left the bullet in situ because of concerns about the vascular supply to the talus bone. But a week later her blood lead concentration was 270 µg/l (normal 0-100 µg/l), and no other risk factors suggesting previous lead exposure were identified. The bullet was promptly removed and chelation therapy was started. Lead concentrations dropped dramatically but rebounded when treatment was stopped. …