Would you like a little DDT with your food?
Jones Beach, New York, 1948. Model Kay Heffernon poses with a hot dog and coke as a cloud of DDT from a Todd Insecticidal Fog Applicator (TIFA) wafts around her, demonstrating that the bug spray won't contaminate her food.
New Jersey Children play in a cloud of DDT
Some background info from the website of TIFA international. Evidently these photos, from Life magazine, were intended to convince residents of New York and New Jersey that being covered in DDT was nothing to worry about:
In 1947, the New York City Health Department decided to use the TIFA Fogging Machine for insect and disease control for the first time in its vector control history and put more than 12 TIFA Fogging Machines into service. The Todd Shipyard technical engineers also provided, at no charge, several very successful training programs for New York City’s local technicians. The usage of the TIFA Fogging machines has now been standardized in more than 2,000 communities throughout Asia, Europe, Africa and South America as they are considered the most effective tool available in vector control programs worldwide, because of their easy operation, low maintenance and minimum services along with an average life expectancy of at least 25 years and more.
Comments
And these children grew up to vote out 16oz sodas. Ya gotta wonder.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 04/05/14 at 09:54 AM
That looks real safe. I wonder where Kay Heffernon is these days.
Posted by Harvey on 04/05/14 at 11:14 AM
That must be some REALLY cold DDT fog she is standing in. 😜
Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 04/05/14 at 12:12 PM
Lord, BD, is that all you can think about?!? That poor woman is committing suicide and doesn't even know it an you're off on one of your filthy fantasies.
And I didn't even notice. :down: Old age is a bitch!
And I didn't even notice. :down: Old age is a bitch!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 04/05/14 at 12:16 PM
Maybe DDT acts like Spanish fly, after it has killed the Spanish flies?
Posted by BMN on 04/05/14 at 01:19 PM
Sigh
DDT *is* really bad for birds (not to mention insects); for humans, not so much. The anti rank and file have been trying to pin a link to human problems for a long time. It took until 2001 to find something:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1012-ddt-finally-linked-to-human-health-problems.html#.U0Bzte29LCQ
In this case the anti crowd was trying to save the birds and threw everything they could against it. From that broad brush eventually 'everyone knew' that DDT was poison incarnate. The pro DDT crowd was then trying to show that the stuff was safe (including the weirdness above). And they were largely right.
In a lot of situations DDT is the best answer and can be applied (when it wasn't the stuff spread up the food chain) with only minimal harm to the environment at large. But by now the damage is done, the laws have been passed and going back is highly unlikely.
DDT *is* really bad for birds (not to mention insects); for humans, not so much. The anti rank and file have been trying to pin a link to human problems for a long time. It took until 2001 to find something:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1012-ddt-finally-linked-to-human-health-problems.html#.U0Bzte29LCQ
In this case the anti crowd was trying to save the birds and threw everything they could against it. From that broad brush eventually 'everyone knew' that DDT was poison incarnate. The pro DDT crowd was then trying to show that the stuff was safe (including the weirdness above). And they were largely right.
In a lot of situations DDT is the best answer and can be applied (when it wasn't the stuff spread up the food chain) with only minimal harm to the environment at large. But by now the damage is done, the laws have been passed and going back is highly unlikely.
Posted by crc on 04/05/14 at 05:36 PM
From what I understand, once DDT gets in your system IT NEVER LEAVES.
So the problem is indeed in the "food chain" if enough DDT laden little critters get eaten by enough big critters (exposed to DDT or not) and then they get eaten by bigger critters that end up on your plate then YOU the human could have a problem. The acumulated DDT could be quite toxic.
Even tree-hugging vegetarians like me need to be careful. DDT-laden rice is *not*a*good*thing*.
Not sure how much of the stuff is bad for you. Maybe the model would have survived the photo shoot with no problem???
So the problem is indeed in the "food chain" if enough DDT laden little critters get eaten by enough big critters (exposed to DDT or not) and then they get eaten by bigger critters that end up on your plate then YOU the human could have a problem. The acumulated DDT could be quite toxic.
Even tree-hugging vegetarians like me need to be careful. DDT-laden rice is *not*a*good*thing*.
Not sure how much of the stuff is bad for you. Maybe the model would have survived the photo shoot with no problem???
Posted by girlgeniusNYC on 04/05/14 at 06:43 PM
From the Center for Environmental Medicine:
"DDT is persistent in the environment, accumulates in fatty tissues and some pests can build resistance to it. While stored in fat, it produces no noticeable symptoms. It affects the nervous system by interfering with normal nerve impulses. Mammals exposed to DDT develop liver tumors an have increase risk of liver tumors but there is not sufficient study to demonstrate that it is carcinogenic in humans."
http://cemmed.com/ddt-dde-ddd-dda-organochlorine-pesticide/
So it is stored in body fat, causes nerve impairment and liver tumors that are non cancerous, but other than that it's harmless.
Oh wait, CRC's link aboveL: "If high DDT exposure really does cause prematurity, the insecticide could have accounted for 15 per cent of infant deaths in the US in the 1960s, Longnecker estimates."
So, still, mostly harmless.
Oh, wait, DDT does slowly breakdown in the body to DDE:
"EPA has classified DDE as a Group B2, probable human carcinogen."
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/dde.html
[/snark] Ah Hell, who cares what the EPA says, they even claim that tobacco smoking is harmful.
Enjoy your safe, harmless and beneficial DDT fog folks, as long as you're fat, you have nothing to worry about! [snark/]
"DDT is persistent in the environment, accumulates in fatty tissues and some pests can build resistance to it. While stored in fat, it produces no noticeable symptoms. It affects the nervous system by interfering with normal nerve impulses. Mammals exposed to DDT develop liver tumors an have increase risk of liver tumors but there is not sufficient study to demonstrate that it is carcinogenic in humans."
http://cemmed.com/ddt-dde-ddd-dda-organochlorine-pesticide/
So it is stored in body fat, causes nerve impairment and liver tumors that are non cancerous, but other than that it's harmless.
Oh wait, CRC's link aboveL: "If high DDT exposure really does cause prematurity, the insecticide could have accounted for 15 per cent of infant deaths in the US in the 1960s, Longnecker estimates."
So, still, mostly harmless.
Oh, wait, DDT does slowly breakdown in the body to DDE:
"EPA has classified DDE as a Group B2, probable human carcinogen."
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/dde.html
[/snark] Ah Hell, who cares what the EPA says, they even claim that tobacco smoking is harmful.
Enjoy your safe, harmless and beneficial DDT fog folks, as long as you're fat, you have nothing to worry about! [snark/]
Posted by Captain DaFt on 04/05/14 at 10:43 PM
I think its just the way the seam is sewn on her halter top you perves!! :lol:
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 04/06/14 at 01:43 AM
Hay! We resemble that remark young lady!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 04/06/14 at 01:44 AM
And that's why I love you sweetheart. 💋
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 04/06/14 at 01:47 AM
It was one of those armor plated swim suits of the fifties with extra reinforcement on the sensitive points.
Posted by Gator Guy on 04/07/14 at 09:13 PM
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Category: 1940s