"Salicylates are members of the same chemical family as aspirin, a medicine used to treat headaches. Although many foods are naturally rich in salicylates, for the past several decades, food-processing companies have also been adding salicylates to foods

The author of the argument asserts that due to increase of commercial usage of Salicylates in food-processing industry, the average of headaches of inhabitants of Mentia will decline. The author bases his or her conclusion on several evidences which should be evaluated in order to give a comprehensive estimation of soundness of the conclusion. Firstly, is the study decline in the average number of the headaches reported caused only by Salicylates? How increase of the usage of the preservative will impact on health conditions? Does the study give a relevant data for our case?

We were told that the correlation between increase of the usage of Salicylates and decline in the number of headaches has been found, however, correlation does not mean causation. We may have a deal with a coincidence when some other factors have impacted on the average, for instance, the ecological situation in many parts of the world has steadily improved in the last twenty years. New technology is used to filter the air from plants and mills, some strict ecological standards were imposed worldwide, the most striking and obvious example is car-making industry which shifts its attention on production and development of new friendly technologies, as a result air in many cities and megalopolises has become clearer. Moreover, a promotion of healthy life-style and sport activities probably has its effect as well. Many of us started to visit gyms and other sport facilities. These two examples illustrate the idea that many alternative events may lead to the decline in the average headaches reported.

Moreover, the central author's belief of the argument is that then more Salicylates a person consumes than better one will feel. However, this belief has not supportive evidences, on the contrary from our every day experience we know that over-doze of drugs and medicine may lead to decline in health conditions. For instance, almost all medicines have a limitation of its usage by one person in a certain period of time. Even such a harmless medicine as aspirin cannot be consumed in big volumes, the overuse of the medicine often lead to nausea and headaches as well. Therefore, the consequences of the increase of the usage of the Salicylates on citizens’ health conditions are not conspicuous.

Besides, the writer of the argument bases his or her argument on the long-term study, at the same time; the results of the research may not suit the author's purpose. The information given to us about the research does not answer on many questions which should be answered in order to accept or reject the result of it. First of all, we do not know about the sample of the research, who were conducted in the study? Do they all consume food which have salicylates?. The possibility exists that the sample of the research includes people who live in the area but pays no attention to food which they consume; therefore, a half of them may be vegetarians who avoid eating unhealthy food and eat only preservative-free food. In other words, we do not know what exactly the research has found and may be these findings are used for the support of the argument