XN000022-1996-07-22 — Page 3

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Hydrogen peroxide not for internal use

Members of the public are today (Monday) advised not to take hydrogen peroxide for internal use.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical for both industrial and medical uses.

"For medical use, it is applied as a disinfectant to clean wounds and ulcers and registered under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance for external use only.

"There is no evidence of any benefit from its internal use. In fact, such use has been reported to cause serious side effects."

He advised members of the public to seek advice from registered medical practitioners on the use of hydrogen peroxide when in doubt.

End

Calls for special site precautions

Contractors should keep an eye on the weather conditions and take special safety precautions on construction sites to cope with weather changes.

A Labour Department spokesman said today (Monday) that as a typhoon signal has been hoisted, strong wind and heavy rain would cause objects to fall, collapse of scaffolds, cave-in of excavations and electrocutions on sites.

"When the weather turns bad, cranes should stop operating as their stability could be affected.

"All lifting appliances and scaffolds should be further strengthened with wall- ties, ballasting, lashing or guy ropes," he said.

Good house-keeping, proper stacking of materials, protection of electrical installations and equipment are also necessary in bad weather.