Document 91vgMrLJOmvgwxmvG72zmrRqV

MANKATO, MINN, fRLE PRESS 0. 12.wo OCT 121976 ^ Report on PCBs in milk attacked as `misleading' 1 By MORTON MXNTZ ate studies to determine, among * The Washington Pint other things, whether the harm WASHINGTON -- A panel of possibly caused by PCBs to federal and private health spe breast-fed babies Includes learn cialists has been accused of ing disabilities or hyperactivity. being "very misleading" in con In a letter to HEW Secretary cluding that mothers can con David Mathews. Highland and tinue to breast-feed their babies Harris objected to the composi despite contamination of their tion of the committee, saying it milk by a toxic industrial chem was labeled "expert" but in ical called PCBs. cluded pediatricians and others The Department of Health, expert in the toxicity neither of Education, and Welfare Com PCBs nor of chemicals gener mittee to Coordinate Toxicology ally. on PCBs In Mothers' Milk The non-profit organization "failed to adequately deal with representatives also made the Issue" at a meeting here on these points: ` Sept. 23, according to a joint --The committee's con statement Saturday by Dr. Jo clusions were those "of the' seph Highlaod of the Environ chairman alone," did not have mental Defense Fund and "affirmative support*' from Stephanie Harris of the Health committee members and con Research Group. sequently should not be ranked PCBs, which concentrate In as official government fatty tissue and remain there recommendations. for years, first came into wide --Although several federal of use in the 1930s, mainly in elec ficials on the committee ad trical equipment Not until the vised women who are or might mid-1960s did researchers dis someday be pregnant not to eat cover that PCBs -- poly sport fish identified as PCB car chlorinated biphenyls -- had riers, the committee ignored a contaminated the air, water and Fish ami Wildlife Service offi soil of all industrialised coun cial in the audience whose data tries. Last week, Monsanto indicated "the widespread in ChenUcaLQu. the only Amerv cidence of PCBs in all fresh wa can manufacturer, announced ter fish." ' that it was ending production. --Because the data on breast HEW convened the com feeding with PCB-contaminated mittee after the Environmental milk are too sparse to permitac Protection Agency reported curate measurement of benefits finding PCBs in 79 of 90 simples and risks, (he committee "could < of milk fat from mothers In 11 not" have given sound advice/ Mates. and should not have taken a# * The average concentration position. - / Was 1.8 parts per million. In baby rhesus monkeys nursed by , their mothers/ with milk eon- I Uoninated by as little as 4 to 8 tern, skin discoloration and other adverse effects occurred. ' The babies Improved when Weaned, but behavioral and learning deficiencies persisted MONS 050639 :l0r t least a year. ' Because of this finding, made by University of Wisconsin pa- 4fiologiat James K. Allen, the' HEW committedurged irnmecB-