The following appeared in the summary of a study on headaches suffered by the residents of Mentia."Salicylates are members of the same chemical family as aspirin, a medicine used to treat headaches. Although many foods are naturally rich in salicylates, f

The given argument is a summary on one of the common problems which people suffer from which is headache. The summary disputes on the relation between inclusion of salicylates in the food-processing and the decline in the number of headaches reported in Mentia. And, with more increase in Salicylates in the food, the summary predicts that there will be a steady decline in the number of headaches suffered. The summary doesn’t provide much evidence in supporting its prediction except for the study and Salicylates belonging to the same chemical family as Aspirin.

One of the important evidences that the argument is based on is the fact that Salicylates belong to the same family as of Aspirin. Although, it might be true that Salicylates belong to the same family as that of the Aspirin and might help in allevating the pain in general, the amount of the chemical required to produce the required effect is unknown. If the amount of Salicylates added to the food-processing doesn’t meet the requirements to act as a pain killer then reasoning it in reduction of headaches might not be appropriate.

Next, the summary states that the food-processing companies have been adding Salicylates for several decades while the decline has been reported only for the past twenty. While the decline might have been true, it could have been because of the increased awareness in the treatment for headaches or people might have become more effective to the treatments than they were before. To support their claim the argument should have provided evidence on people only taking food processed with Salicylates and no other form of drugs. If that is the case then a positive relation could be established.

Also, it has been stated that several natural foods contain Salicylates in abudance. So, over the past twenty years people might have started including these foods in good quantities in their every day diet resulting in a decline in the reported number of headaches. While predicting the further decline the argument takes into account that the amount of Salicylates that is being added to the food will be adequate to act as a pain killer. Flavor additives are mostly used sparsly, hence they containing Salicylate equivalent to a natural food or a drug like Aspirin is questionable.

With the lack of evidences to support the claims, the predictions on a steady decline in the number of headaches isn’t plausible. While there might be a steady decline in the future, one can’t attribute it only to the use of Salicylates in food-processings and flavor additives. Hence, the argument is highly biased on its views and needs to analyze its evidences before coming up with future predections.