Variations in the trace elements content of different vegetables are far greater than generally realized. These variations are caused by a number of factors, including geologic and geographic ones and industrial pollution. Original data are presented to show the varying concentrations of copper, zinc, lead, and molybdenum in samples of the edible portions of lettuce, cabbage, potato, carrot, and bean plants collected from various districts in Great Britain and Canada. Too few samples have been dealt with to establish mean values that are statistically significant, but on the basis of the evidence available, there is a distinct possibility that unusual patterns of disease distribution may be causally related to anomalous concentrations of one or more trace elements. Illustrative data on such a (causal?) association are presented.