DEAR ABBY: I couldn't believe the letter from the mail carrier, and your response, about putting mothballs in the mailbox to deter insects. This is a very bad idea.
Though many people choose to use mothballs in their homes, they are not an innocuous product. The chemicals they are made from, either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, can irritate skin, throat and eyes, can lead to liver damage and have been linked with cancer.
Using mothballs in the mailbox would take this product public. Mailed items, which already pick up the smell of magazine scent strips, would absorb yet another toxic scent, especially difficult for those with allergies. And I'm sure there are plenty of mail carriers who would not appreciate getting a handful of mothballs along with their deliveries.
Please retract your endorsement of this ill-advised idea. -- CAROL DAVID, BERKELEY, CALIF.
DEAR CAROL: When I wrote my answer, I was unaware of the fact that mothballs could trigger a violent allergic reaction in anyone. Therefore, I retract my answer.
If letter carriers are concerned about being bitten by insects that dwell in rural mailboxes, a safer method of protecting themselves would be to wear gloves.