Physiological Investigations Into The Action Of DDT

G.W. Van Der Wiel & co., Arnhem 1949

[ Translation by Jim West ]

mindfully.org note:
please read the propaganda our regulatory agencies gave naive families regarding the use of DDT in the household in 1947.

"Conspicuous histological degeneration was, however, often found in the central nervous system. The most striking ones were found in the cerebellum, mainly in the nucleus dentatus and the cortex cells. Among other things an increase of the neuroglia and a necrotic degeneration and resorption of ganglionic cells was found. The Purkinje cells were less seriously affected than the other neurons. Also in the spinal cord abnormalities of a degenerative nature were found."

"...such changes were not found invariably... there is neither an obvious relation between the size and spreading of the lesion and the quantity of DDT applied... information of adequate precision about the nature of the anomalies is lacking."

"So we find that especially the cerebellum and the spinal cord are histologically affected by DDT." [Dresden, Daniel, Physiological Investigations Into The Action Of DDT, G.W. Van Der Wiel & co., Arnhem (1949), p49]

Is this not similar to the descriptions of polio physiology? Please correct me if I'm wrong in this assumption.

Also, circa 1951, American and Swiss studies found that calves of cows that were fed with DDT treated fodder came down with nerve degenerative diseases. At this year DDT production began went into a steep decline and then rose again with most production being shipped overseas (for malaria campaigns and agriculture). DDT was phased out in the U.S. during the 1950s and 1960s, and registration canceled by 1968. BHC, the other leading persistent pesticide, followed a similar production curve, which like DDT, very closely correlated with the line of polio incidence between 1945 and 1972. (see Hayes and Laws for pesticide production statistics, US Vital Statistics for polio incidence.)

Coincidentally, by 1954, Jonas Salk was being hailed as the savior of mankind (his research began around 1951). Coincidentally, the Director of Polio Research for the March of Dimes, had also been the leading DDT consultant to the Surgeon General. More research needs to be done on this "innuendo", but what authoritative body will do an objective study?

I have read that the NIH has similar studies in their files, which were done during the 1940s and 1950s.

-Jim West