Of interest to some, I think...
September 23, 1999
Poisoning disaster 'caused brain damage'
Poisons were released into Cornish water supplies at Camelford
U. K. -- Contaminated drinking water from a Cornish reservoir is
probably to blame for permanently brain damaging some residents, says
research.
The damage had previously been blamed on anxiety.
The research has led to renewed calls for a public inquiry into the
incident at Camelford reservoir in July 1988.
The BBC's Jane O'Brien:"There are fresh calls for a public inquiry"
More than 20 tonnes of aluminium sulphate were accidentally emptied into
reservoir, tainting the water supply to 20,000 people.
Although aluminium poisoning has been found to cause brain disease, bone
disease and anaemia in both animals and humans, this is the first study
into the long-term effects of the incident.
The study looked at 55 people who alleged that the accident had caused
symptoms such as short term memory loss and poor concentration.
These were compared not only with their brothers and sisters of similar
age, but with a sample of people from outside the area, and a method of
calculating their IQ before the incident was used.
Researchers found clear evidence that something had happened to damage
their cerebral function.
Dr Paul Altmann, a consultant nephrologist from the John Radcliffe
Hospital in Oxford, said his study, published in the British Medical
Journal, provided strong evidence that the Camelford incident was to
blame.
He said: "One can never be 100% sure, and we were sceptical to begin
with.
"But now we are pretty certain that something happened to these people,
and because of their own description of events, it seems as though it
was related to this incident."
Doreen Skudder, 71, was exposed to the water and now runs a victim
support group from her new home in Dorset.
"I told you so - this is vindication," she said.
"It puts a rather bad face on those people who have not believed us and
have said we were just cashing in on the whole thing."
She said she continued to suffer occasional memory problems and had
difficulty getting about.
The latest findings run counter to a 1989 report from a government
health advisory panel led by Professor Dame Barbara Clayton.
However, second government report in 1991 said there could be
"unforeseen late consequences."
The BMJ study supported this view, saying 400 people were suffering
symptoms which they believed had been caused by the incident two years
after it happened.
Paul Tyler, the Liberal Democrat for North Cornwall said the findings
offered fresh hope to those affected by a "dangeroud mistake".
"Dangerous ignorance was added to damaging injury by the official
cover-up immediately after the incident," he said.
"Many households had no idea their supply was affected. Some even went
on drinking contaminated water days afterwards.
"The situation was aggravated by the imminent privatisation of the water
industry and the then government was only too anxious to avoid any form
of public inquiry."
South West Water, which took over following privatisation said in a
statement: "We will study the report, but it is for the medical
authorities to decide the implications of the research.
"We are not medical experts - the incident was over 11 years ago when
the water supply was managed by the previous authority."
--
BBC News ©
Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada
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