Abstract
The paper reviews the early toxicologic and pharmacologic studies carried out by the author and his associates from 1943 to 1947, which were largely responsible for launching DDT as an agent for the control of typhus, malaria, yellow fever, and related vector-borne diseases. After reviewing recent studies conducted at the University of Miami, which dealt with organochlorine pesticides in human tissues, the tumorigenicity of aldrin, dieldrin and endrin (rat), six-generation mouse and three-generation dog reproduction studies, synergism of DDT and aldrin (dog), and the fate of DDT and aldrin during a period of severe starvation (rat), it is pointed out that it is primarily the overuse and misuse of DDT in pest control that have caused the pollution in our ecology. It is emphasized that the requirements for pest control differ the world over and that it must therefore be left to the national regulatory agencies to legislate the safe use of DDT and related pesticides. It is recommended that future human and animal studies with DDT and its derivatives give consideration to: (a) the balance and metabolism of the various hormones, (b) reproduction (estrus, libido, mammary development, milk production, (c) hepatic microsomal enzyme activities, (d) cancer prevention and cancer production, (e) excessive body weight changes induced by disease, unbalanced diet or starvation, and (f) the effects of DDT and its derivatives when absorbed in combination with other related and even unrelated compounds.
Zusammenfassung
Die Arbeit gibt einen Überblick über die frühen toxikologischen und pharmakologischen Untersuchungen, die der Autor und seine Mitarbeiter von 1943 bis 1947 ausführten, und die zum großen Teil verantwortlich waren für den Einsatz von DDT zur Bekämpfung von Typhus, Malaria, Gelbfieber und ähnlichen Insekten-übertragenen Erkrankungen. Nach Schilderung neuerer Untersuchungen, ausgeführt an der University of Miami, die Bestimmungen OrganochlorPestiziden in menschlichen Geweben, die Tumorhemmung durch Aldrin, Dieldrin und Endrin (Ratte), Generationsversuche über 6 Generationen an der Maus und 3 Generationen am Hund, den Synergismus von DDT und Aldrin (Hund) und das Verhalten von DDT und Aldrin im schweren Hungerzustand (Ratte) behandeln, wird ausgeführt, daß in erster Linie übertriebene Anwendung und Mißbrauch von DDT bei der Schädlingsbekämpfung die Verunreinigung in unserer Umwelt bewirkt haben. Es wird hervorgehoben, daß die Anforderungen an die Schädlingsbekämpfung an verschiedenen Stellen der Welt sich unterscheiden, und daß es daher den nationalen Kontrollbehörden überlassen bleiben müsse, den gesundheitlich unbedenklichen Gebrauch von DDT und verwandten Schädlingsbekämpfungsmitteln auf dem Verordnungswege zu regeln. Für künftige Untersuchungen an Mensch und Tieren mit DDT und seinen Abkömmlingen wird folgendes zur Beachtung empfohlen: a) Regulation und Stoffwechsel der verschiedenen Hormone, b) die Fortpflanzung (Oestrus, Libido, Mammaentwicklung, Milchbildung), c) die Aktivität mikrosomaler Leberenzyme, d) Krebshemmung und Krebserzeugung, e) durch Krankheit, Fehlernährung oder Hunger hervorgerufene exzessive Körpergewichtsänderungen und f) die Wirkungen von DDT und seiner Abkömmlinge nach Resorption in Verbindung mit verwandten und auch nicht-verwandten Verbindungen.
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Deichmann, W.B. The debate on DDT. Arch Toxicol 29, 1–27 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00316511
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00316511
Key words
- Aldrin
- Chlordane
- Chlorophenothane
- DDT
- Dieldrin
- Endrin
- Heptachlor
- Lindare
- Malaria
- Methoxychlor
- Organochlorine
- Pesticides
- Pollution
- Toxaphene
- Typhus