Thursday, September 11, 2008

In the News

Cheap is not always good
14 Babies Developed Kidney Stones After Drinking ‘Cheap’ Powdered Milk
The infants all in China have been hospitalized with kidney stones after drinking a reduced-price powdered milk, Agence France-Presse reported Wednesday.
The babies, who are all under the age of 11 months, are being treated in a hospital located in northwest China’s Gansu province.
"It was rare for babies to get kidney stones, let alone so many babies at the same time," said Dr. Zhang Wei, who is treating the babies, in a report.
The infants are all from remote farms. They had been fed the same powdered milk, which is known as Sanlu, and is manufactured by a leading Chinese dairy products company.
The Sanlu Group said its product was produced by market pirates illegally using the group’s name and they are investigating the incident.
It is possible other children became sick by the powder but did not seek medical attention because of the high cost of health care.
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Puppy Eats Six Pounds Of Rocks, Lives
A dog in Bangor, Maine, ate six pounds of rocks and lived to bark about it.
The owners of the dog "Chester" said the rocks were around their new grill. The food drippings attracted him, but they didn't realize it until it was too late.
Chester's owners rushed him to the veterinarian.
"I didn't think he'd survive, they said his chances of survival were very slim," Chester's owner said.
The vet said she has seen dogs eat a rock or two, but never six pounds.
Chester passed all the rocks naturally and is now at home safe.
"I hope he sticks to dog food," the owner's son said.
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Mom charged with racing in school zone
A Toronto woman has been charged with street racing after police clocked her car allegedly moving at at 63 mph through a school zone, authorities said.
The unidentified woman said she was driving home to pick up her son and take him to a day-care center in the same school zone through which she sped, Toronto police Sgt. Tim Burrows told The Toronto Star.
Police radar showed her Volvo zooming through the 30 mph zone at 63 mph just after 8:30 a.m., Burrows said.
"She was traveling at a horrendous speed," pulling away from other cars "at warp speed," Burrows told the Star.
Her drivers license was suspended and her car was impounded for seven days, the newspaper said. If convicted, she faces a maximum fine of $9,400.
The incident occurred during an annual safety campaign in which Toronto police seek to raise drivers' awareness of children returning to school.
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Woman fined £700 for trash violation
A woman has been ordered to pay more than $1,228.00 U.S. dollars for leaving her bins out before collection day.Victoria Clarke, of Lingard Street, Stockport, left eight rubbish bags on the pavement. Stockport Magistrates' Court found her guilty of 'advancement of waste' and fined her £350, plus £350.12 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Miss Clarke had been served with a notice about her refuse habits before.
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Baby Millie Boyle answers phone call to help unconscious mother
An 11-month-old baby helped raise the alarm that her mother had collapsed unconscious by using a mobile phone.
Amelia Boyle, known as Millie, picked up the ringing mobile and answered the call when her mother Elizabeth, 20, fainted in the hall of their home.
Linda Wright, Millie's grandmother, was on the other end of the line and heard the baby say "Who's that?" and "Mama".
The girl is not allowed to play with the mobile so Mrs Wright knew something was wrong with Millie's mother, who has a history of fainting and fitting, and dialed 999.
Miss Boyle, whose phone it was, woke up in her home in Braintree, Essex, to hear police and ambulance crews at her door.
She became confused and told them she had not called them so the officers broke down the door to get in and help.
A few minutes later three paramedics arrived and examined her. She did not need hospital treatment.
Miss Boyle said: "I went upstairs to get Millie some clothes. I came downstairs again and I was going to get her dressed up as normal.
"She was crawling around playing with some toys when I suddenly fainted between the hallway and the living room blocking the stairway.
"My mum phoned me back on the home phone and when she didn't get through, she tried on the mobile, then the home phone again."
She added: "I am so lucky to have Millie.
"Millie does not seem to be fazed by it. She must have watched me open the phone - she is not usually allowed to play with it because she tends to stick it in her mouth.
"She is a very clever little girl. I was proud of her anyway but now she is even more special."
Mrs Wright said: "If Millie hadn't answered the phone, I wouldn't have known what had happened."
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‘Super lice’ leave parents scratching their heads
Stubborn parasites outsmart drugs — and mortify moms
Three weeks into Maddie Ratcliff’s first year of school, the South Carolina kindergartner is already the subject of an unwelcome science experiment: What’s the best way to get rid of head lice?
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