Yesterday members of the Hastings and Prince Edward Board of Health got a close and cringe-inducing look at tattoo-ing and body-piercing practices. The pictures shown at the board meeting included everything from tattoo-ing to body piercing, scarring, skin peeling and branding….none of the latter practiced here. There are about 70-tattoos a month performed in the two counties. Medical officer of Health Dr. Richard Schabas says the danger is from hepatitis B, C, and H-I-V. Schabas says the tattoo parlours are not regulated, and public health officials only inspect them once a year.
