Modern television sets tend to have large screens that bring their centre of gravity to the front. As a consequence of this, they are more likely to topple forwards. The US National Pediatric Trauma Registry (which is not a complete national survey) for 1988–95 contained details of 183 children under 8 years injured by falling television sets (Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine2001;155:145–8). One hundred and five (57%) of these children were boys and 139 (76%) were aged 1–4 years. Head injuries and multiple injuries were common and 28% had moderate to critical injury. Five children died. When checking a house for child safety don't forget the television set.

Watch out for tuna burgers. In North Carolina, over a period of 8 months in 1998–99 (JAMA2001;285:1327–30) 22 people developed symptoms of histamine poisoning soon after eating tuna (as tuna burgers in 18 cases). The histamine is formed from histidine when bacteria produce histidine decarboxylase. Faulty refrigeration or repeated freezing and thawing are likely causes. Once formed, the histamine is not destroyed by cooking. There are usually about two cases of histamine fish poisoning in North Carolina per year.

Providing adequate food for people, particularly for pregnant women, in developing countries may prevent cardiovascular disease. In China, Guatemala, and Chile (International Journal of Epidemiology 2001;30:52–9) children who at birth were proportionately small (weight, length, …