Because mosquitoes were almost nonexistent with the use of DDT in places like Africa, elimination of DDT brought mosquitoes back — in force. The 1972 ban of DDT in the U.S. did not help matters at all. Now, many less effective and more costly methods are used — netting, other chemicals, you name it. But from the "Malaria Clock" listed in the following paragraphs, one gets an idea of exactly how many deaths have occured, especially from malaria.
But who ever heard a book causing the death of millions? Rachel Carson's Silent Spring was the driving force behind eliminating DDT throughout the world. Her fraudulent claims of bird egg thinning, and widespread declines in bird populations have all been thoroughly debunked by numerous studies.
Many need to read Junkscience.com's 100 things you should know about DDT to fully understand DDT history. The Malaria Clock totals up malaria deaths of more than 90 million to date, with almost 15 billion cases where malaria has caused immense suffering and poverty.
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was first produced by Dr. Paul Mueller in 1939. He found that DDT quickly killed flies, walking sticks, potato beetles, aphids, and especially mosquitoes. After several unprecedented successes, including in 1943 when the U.S. Army used DDT on its soldiers to kill body, head, and crab lice, for his work with DDT Muller won the Nobel Prize in 1948.
Gas chromatography was universally used in pesticide analysis in the 1960s. Often, it failed to differentiate between DDT and other chemicals. DDT has been mistaken for other organochlorides routinely in the methods used about the same time Silent Spring came out.
Others have mistakenly claimed that some mosquitoes have become resistant to DDT, but forget about its repellency. The continued efficacy of DDT in Africa, India, Brazil, and Mexico — where 69% where all reported cases of malaria now occur — shows that repellency is very important in preventing indoor transmission of malaria.
Carson should have stuck around long enough to see how the mosquito population has drastically increased over the last 30 years.
Today, the evolving door of science is determining that some man-made chemicals are more toxic than thought. Thalidomide, used by some pregnant women to prevent morning sickness, was found to cause severe birth defects. Aspartame, an existing artificial sweetener, has been found to produce symptoms of MS in healthy individuals.
Article comments
1 - andrewew
"evolving door" nice mixed metaphor!
2 - Ed Darrell
The Junk Science "100 Things You Ought to Know About DDT" is pure junk. Most of the claims there are false -- those that are not false are misleading.
Yes, the National Academy of Sciences erroneously wrote DDT saved 500 million lives. But that was wrong -- that was how many people got malaria in a year, not how many died.
The critical thing is that the paper in which NAS said that said that DDT is so dangerous that, despite its benefits, it must be phased out.
Much of the other stuff at that Junk Science site is simply made up. Eagle counts did not rise when DDT was being used -- they shrank. DDT is a weak carcinogen, but still a carcinogen. DDT will kill humans (though only in sizable doses). DDT did not come close to eradicating malaria anywhere -- the only nations that have eradicated malaria are those that have stopped using DDT; malaria is rampant now in those nations where DDT is used most.
C'mon over to Millard Fillmore's Bathtub, do a search for "DDT," and start getting the facts.
The facts are known and freely available -- DDT is no panacea against any human ill.
3 - Kevin
Ed Darrell,
You probably know that "Junk Science" infers that the science used is considered junk. You seem to have zero backup for your claims.
Any documentation about what you claimed the NAS said?
DDT is no weaqk carcinogen. Documentation please? Your info about malaria seems quite maligned. Is Rachel Carson some sort of hero to you?