ROLAND BRAMHAM asks what aspirin contains (HAS, Dec 31).
The chemical name for aspirin is acetyl salicylic acid. Not a very complex molecule but difficult to show the structure in a newspaper.
The aspirin actual tablet, as it says on the packet, contains several binding agents, preservatives and stabilising agents.
Aspirin certainly cures headaches, but being an acid will attack the lining of the stomach with prolonged exposure, as has been known for many years.
As regards preventing cancer, there is obviously more work to be done.
Eric Gendle, Middlesbrough.
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