Figures published by the Department of Health have revealed a huge range of unusual accidents which put people in hospital in England in 2004. Here is just a small sample.
- Two people were admitted after being in contact with venomous spiders. Both stayed in hospital for five days.
- 22 people suffered from exposure to ignition or melting of nightwear, most of them men.
- 1,481 people, most of them children, were injured by hot drinks, and most needing an overnight stay in hospital.
- Two people needed five days' treatment after contact with centipedes or venomous millipedes.
- 15 people were admitted after contact with a marine animal, needing an average of two days in hospital.
- Four people had an average of two days' treatment after exposure to vibrations.
- 1,839 people - 78% of them children - fell out of trees.
- 4,533 people fell when using ice-skates, skis, roller-skates or skateboards. 57% of them were under 15.
- One girl needed an overnight stay after being "bitten or struck" by an alligator. (By comparison, 3,508 people were bitten or struck by dogs.)
- One child was admitted to hospital after "prolonged stay in a weightless environment". He or she did not stay overnight. There are no further details about who this person was or how they had come to need treatment.
Ok I can understand most of those accidents... but WTF is going on with the kid in a weightless enviroment?!? It's like something from the X-files. They need to track that kid down and ask a few questions. Did you know millipedes could be venomous? No me neither..