MARCH 14™ Photo: JOANNE O'BRIEN JUVEMEN Jo Richardson MP addresses the labour movement conference on abortion A MYSTERIOUS disease strikes, even death. described.
market is controlled by Tampax and tion'.
absorbent', use of similar tampons. The 'Authorised resulting in high fever, vomiting, diarrheoa, skin rash, and a sharp drop in blood pressure leading to shock and Such serious symptoms would normally have the medical protession rushing to tinc the cause, especially when a large proportion of the population is at risk. But this 'new disease' has hardly raised a murmur in the medical profession, let alone made Maybe it is because toxic shock synarome los only artects women. ine disease occurs in healthy, menstruating women. A toxin or poison enters the blood stream, causing some or all the symptoms Where tampons of affected women have been tested, the bacteria of TSS has been found to be present in 90 per cent of cases.
Tampons are big business. The British Southalls, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, which sells Lillets. Last October the Monopolies and Mergers Commission found that the duopoly in the tampon market operated against the public interest, as prices were higher than would be expected 'in conditions of keener competiPlaytex, which is attempting to move into the British market has produced a tam. pon which increases the risk of TSS. It is scented (for no good reason), 'super, and is inserted by means of a plastic applicator. In the United States, 40 women are known to have died from the