* * * * *
                                        
            It appears to be more common than I would have expected
                                        
> A 20-month-old boy died after he swallowed magnets that twisted his small
> intestine and created a blockage, federal officials said. Three other
> children, between the ages of 3 and 8, suffered intestinal perforations
> that required surgery and hospitalization in intensive care. And a 5-year-
> old boy inhaled two magnets that had to be surgically removed from his
> lungs.
> 

“Nearly 4 million magnetic toy sets recalled [1]” (link via an email from
Bunny)

Our own little magnetic episode [2] wasn't caused by these toys (although we
do have some of these toys) but by some actual refrigerator magnets, I'm
surprised that this happens this often (and inhaling? As if swallowing wasn't
bad enough?).

[1] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12085898/
[2] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2006/01/11.1-26.1

Email author at sean@conman.org

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