Health Highlights: July 18, 2016

• Tweet
• Pin It

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

5.4 Million Bottles of Liquid Plumr Clog Remover Recalled

About 5.4 million bottles of Liquid Plumr Clog Remover have been recalled due to defective child-resistant caps, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says.

The recall covers 17-ounce bottles of Liquid Plumr Pro-Strength Foaming Clog Fighter, Liquid Plumr Industrial Strength Urgent Clear and Liquid Plumr Pro-Strength Urgent Clear clog removers made before March 22, 2016.

Children can remove the caps from the bottles, putting them at risk for chemical burns, as well as eye and skin irritation. Eight reports of child-resistant bottle caps not working as intended and 221 reports of leaking caps have been received by the Clorox Company, but no injuries have been reported, according to the CPSC.

For more information, call the company toll-free at 855-490-0705 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or go to the Liquid Plumr website.

—–

New Theory on Mary Todd Lincoln’s Mental Health Struggles

Mary Todd Lincoln’s mental health problems may have been due to a condition called pernicious anemia, according to a medical expert.

The wife of President Abraham Lincoln struggled with depression and erratic behavior and was eventually committed by her son.

“Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disease that starts in the stomach and that impairs the body’s ability to absorb food efficiently,” physician and medical historian Dr. John Sotos told CBS News.

“And as a result, the person becomes B12 deficient eventually, and that causes lots of problems in every organ of the body,” he explained.

Mary Todd Lincoln had many symptoms of pernicious anemia, such as pale skin, difficulty walking, sore mouth and psychiatric problems. The disease was fatal in her day but can now be diagnosed with a simple blood test and easily treated with B12 supplements, according to Sotos.

“She had a sick brain and was doing the best that she could in a very complicated, relentlessly demanding environment,” he told CBS News. “And I think to have done as well as she did with the kind of handicaps that she had, I think that deserves admiration.”

Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

• Tweet
• Pin It