Posted on 07/08/2017 7:03:03 PM PDT by nickcarraway
aside from the occasional paper cut or perhaps killer litter, books aren't typically a source of danger.
But for a family living in Taizhou in China's Jiangsu province, their love of reading was slowly poisoning them - literally.
At the end of last year, the family- which consists of a couple and their child- developed symptoms of formaldehyde poisoning, according to a report from Jiangsu Television.
The adults suffered from constant coughing, while their child had rhinitis, an inflammation of the mucous membrane.
Books in the family's home were to blame.
The couple spent about 8,000 yuan (S$1,630) on medical treatment but nothing worked.
Furthermore, doctors weren't sure what was causing their illness, the television report said.
However, after doing some research, the woman realised that the air in their home could be the source of the problem.
The homeowner, who was not identified, realised the air could be the problem.
She requested municipal authorities to test the air quality in their apartment and the results found excessive levels of formaldehyde in every room. In some areas, the concentration of formaldehyde was dangerously high.
According to China's national standards, anything over 0.08 milligrams of formaldehyde per square metre is considered unhealthy.
The concentration of the poisonous gas in the couple's bedroom was 0.10 milligrams per square metre, and the highest levels of formaldehyde came from their bookshelves.
Reaching up to 0.26 milligrams per square metre, the collection of books was identified as the main source of formaldehyde pollution, South China Morning Post reported.
The readings from the air quality test.
Formaldehyde is a colourless, yet strong-smelling gas, and is found in many products ranging from wallpaper and paints to cosmetics, clothing, carpet, pressed-wood products, and even beer.
It is also used to make some nail polishes and embalming fluid.
High levels of the chemical can damage the respiratory and immune systems.
In this case, the family was affected by the formaldehyde present in the printing inks used in books, magazines and newspapers.
The couple, who are avid readers, said to Jiangsu Television that they bought books online three to four times a month.
Piles of books were present in every room of the family's flat, and the husband told the broadcaster that they had accumulated tens of thousands of them.
The home was well-stocked with books.
Experts suggested the couple get rid of some of the books while doctors told them to limit their collection to one room and improve the ventilation in their home.
Can’t be my problem, I’ve only got 1500 or so.
Well, maybe a few more.
Maybe it’s time to consider a Kindle.
Can't be a problem with Western printed books or I would be dead.
Wonder why it does not bother book store employees?
I wonder if it is the newer books that are causing the problem.
I’d like to have Ron White read this news story.
“The husband told the broadcaster that they had accumulated tens of thousands of them.”
[Takes a sip of whiskey.]
“The home was well-stocked with books.”
I grew up in big old leaky houses. It makes me cringe when I see people building houses that are perfectly air tight. Normal products and behaviors produce things that are deadly when concentrated. If something goes wrong — a gas leak, a spill of paint thinner, a clogged heater flue, purchase of any products from China....
“Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco.
We shouldn’t read too much into this.
Nor should we be bound by any findings.
Great book. Interesting movie.
One of the few movies that did a good job with a complicated book.
That just about covers it.
Didn’t the USA just clear the way for the Chinese to be selling chicken here? Hard to find non-Chinese Tilapia any more. Canned mushrooms, vitamins. A cardiologist told me recently only eat fish oil from a Scandinavian country, other wise too much mercury.
I’m doing my research to try to avoid their products if possible.
From what I’ve read fish products may be caught here but processed in China. Ugh!
Anybody have info on truly American food products or at lest reliable sources?
Just goes to show, you really can’t judge books by their covers. They may just kill you.
Except Bernardo Gui did not die in the book and the “witches” were hauled to another city to be burnt.
As William of Baskerville said, “They are burnt!” as he saw the inquisitors leave with their prisoners.
Bernardo Gui was a real historical inquisitor figure.
Me too and I still live in a big old leaky house.
I think the obsession with airtightness began during the oil crisis in the '70s. It became the highest virtue to be "energy efficient." Consumers demanded it and builders responded.
As a result we are now seeing phenomena such as "sick building syndrome" and the Grenfell Tower housing fire in London.
True, but to make a good movie out of a book by Eco is an achievement.
We shall leave no dog ear unturned.
and turn the page on their problems.
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