Food and drink alone led to 359 deaths in 1992, with kitchen utensils killing another 23. Compared with these rates of carnage, stationery and writing equipment, resulting in only four deaths, was not to be feared. Luggage killed no one at all.The non-fatal accident rates break down the risks of everyday kitchen life into finer detail: kitchen scales, 2; weights for scales, 3; wok, 4; strainer, 5; drinking straw, 11; coffee pot, 17; toaster, 18; teapot, 66; refrigerator, 185.The safest items were soda siphons, chopsticks, mincers and pressurised beer taps, none of which injured anybody. All these, however, are models of safety compared with the wheelbarrow (85), flowerpot (125) and garden fork (143).For people aged between 15 and 64, however, the kitchen is the most dangerous room in the house, followed by the stairs, the living or dining room, and the bedroom, in that order. One gyration too many to the beat of the music, your hand slips, a sudden jet of water and instant electrocution.Here are some more dangerous objects with their injury tally:Pillow case, 2; mangle on washing machine, 3; coal scuttle, 6; hammock, 17; watering can, 21; bean bag, 48; party balloon, 56; clothes basket, 116.In the garden, the watering can is exactly as dangerous as the trowel, though only half as dangerous as a rake. Just as you thought it was safe to go into the kitchen, the Consumer Safety Unit at the Department of Trade and Industry has published its report on accidents in the home. One can easily see the folly of listening to music while trying to install Christmas lights round your bidet.
The tables provide compelling evidence that mad cows are far from being the only hazard for today's chefs and gourmets. Every accidental death in 1994 is solemnly reported and classified along with every accident that led to a visit to any of 18 selected hospitals. The room in which the accident occurred, the parts of the body injured and the household objects involved are all meticulously recorded, with the victim allowed to incriminate a number of different objects in a single accident.So the four people injured by Christmas tree light sets could be exactly the same as the four injured by their Walkmans or personal stereos, and might even be included in the figure of six listed under "bidet". In a perfect world there would be no waiting lists and IVF would be available free for everyone.While we wait for the perfect world to arrive might I suggest that childless couples, regardless of their level of income, are in a far better position to save for private treatment than anyone else.Sally JacksonCardiff, South Glamorgan. Incredibly, within a year we had saved pounds 9,000, which was enough for six courses of treatment. As a result we have three wonderful children. A few months ago an elderly friend spent her life savings on having her hip replaced privately because she was in too much pain to endure the NHS waiting list.
It also struck us that if we had a baby, we would be able to spend far less time together as a couple so I took on low-paid evening work and saved what I earned from that. However, it struck us that if we had already had a baby, then the three of us would be living on my husband's salary and so we saved everything I earned. We had about pounds 200 in savings and a modest joint income which rarely stretched until the end of the month. Sir: Your sympathetic article concerning an accountant who stole pounds 20,000 from her employers to finance IVF treatment ("The baby lottery", 4 April), irritated me. Thirteen years ago my husband and I were told that our only hope of a family was IVF, paid for privately.