I have a 40 y.o. Artley, closed hole, plated flute (very basic, nothing fancy) which plays well but has never been "babied"- meaning that I have traveled extensively with it, played it at campfires and on the street, and generally just enjoyed it but never gotten it worked on. It has been great for what I wanted.
My 5th grade daughter is about to start band in school and they require that if you don't rent the instrument, you bring it to a specified music store (the one that rents out the instruments) to get it checked out and OK'd before using it.
I just got a call from the owner who checked out the flute. He tells me that there is "extensive pitting" and that the flute should not be used. He informs me that "it could be poisonous" if played. Is this true? I feel like he is just trying to scare me into renting an instrument. But, at the same time, of course I do not want to risk jeopardizing my daughter's health.
Anybody know about this?
Thanks!

IMO that is nonsense. The metal undeer the plating is usually nickel-silver - sometimes brass - & in 20 years of repairing instruments I've never heard of this. Many instruments over a long time were made of this material without plating. Plating is more of a cosmetic feature. However some people do react badly to silver, others to nickel & some even to gold.