Abstract
IT has been shown that many fluoroacetates are extremely toxic to mammals1–3 and that some are powerful systemic and contact insecticides4,5. The salts of fluoracetic acid (notably sodium fluoroacetate) have been used as rodent poisons5,6; but it appears that the insecticidal properties of these salts have not been recognized, since Schrader5 states regarding them that “No contact insecticide action has yet been observed”. Sodium fluoroacetate occurs in the poisonous South African plant gifblaar (Dichapetalum cymosum), and it seemed possible that it might be tolerated by other plants. For the above reasons, sodium fluoroacetate was tested as a contact and systemic insecticide. The material was prepared and kindly supplied by Dr. B. C. Saunders3.
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References
McCombie, H., and Saunders, B. C., Nature, 158, 382 (1946).
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Martin, H., and Shaw, H., Rept. No. 1095 Brit. Intell. Obj. Sub. Comm. (London, 1948)
Schrader, G., Rept. No. 714 Brit. Intell. Obj. Sub. Comm. (1948).
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David, W. A. L., and Kilby, B. A., Nature, 164, 522 (1949).
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DAVID, W. Sodium Fluoroacetate as a Systemic and Contact Insecticide. Nature 165, 493–494 (1950). https://doi.org/10.1038/165493b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/165493b0
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