Document ybVK0wj76EDZGYRr669Y5ndE2

FROM THE DESK OF: E. V. John By ANTHONY TUCKER, Science Correspondeut > Fifteen thousand people on jivuihu, one of Japan* man ii.aroi. have been afl;ctcd m n mustivo outlrea* at poison- Inz. Tie cause wk a yroup ofIndustrial chera c:.i# known .is PCHt -- poivchlcrinatcd 1 Oiphtny'.i. . 1 The Royal Sweiljh Academy id 3c:*k>m journal Arobio, Miys tfa; the nru evidence of a n*Jor poisoning incident appcari*! in HM-i .a the (ora of a fringe anti hitherto un- `mown tUease. Symptom* aninetime* in- `chidod croiis >*.n eruptions, I brown pisnicmauon, and eye diaeharfo M.*ca..y socialed I with human PC IS pr4*ftcing, but , brain and li-cr tianuge and )m*dc (knonoMe* were aljjo .ound. A nun.cer cf apparently unaffected wo.r.tii bivo had Uefonneil. pi'.mcnt.Ml, or men* tally aflected tao-e*. ' Tit accumulation of PCBs in nature baa been uncovered by uceident and on.y after aerioua dbrnoee has been done--a* m the ca.se of ev.a nutation V mercury. U hippocs that PfBi ary tdem.fiable m ;he inaiyses that are row used for the reutne rr.ouitorint >f persistent pettacidei. - . New compounds But. as Or S. Jensrs, .i:d of the National Swedao. Kr.viror.- .mental Protection Board analy tical laboratory. pent* in*. vJorge (111100- n of new c.iem-or comor-und*, rainy cn..iplt:t.' iunknown in nature, can :nue u<j enter t.ie cnvirontr.tr.t eiu. 1 year, and the discover) <*f barerj dotu accumulations are iikto 1 to occur at any time. | } If we are to take proper* 1 measure* to evaluate vn-ianccs before they cause dir.i.iffe cr irreversible changes m na:urj.. systems, then we neM * much greater investment by rspon sible authorities in manpower and equipment for ur. rtjseu studies of pollutants, Dr Jertsco 1 says. I The cause of the J.ipsnor-e poisonings waa eventually identified as cross<onuuina* v.on tf riee oil--a wi-idy-u^-ti foot stuif--with Kanett.jr 400. of indu*tr;..i PCS#. Acc )ruir.^i9*a survey earned out bv Dr G. Umcda. the head of the department '/ c.inicai palho'.nty at the Kitaeyuiya Research Institute for rjivirormer.tal Pollution. Japan, four main type* of human i-isca^e have now lees iilsnULifil. Id a bitter attack on the Japanc**.* authorities, u.ui hire so far recognised onlv c! the most seriously aftec ed vic tims. Dr Cmeda sirts-cs tr.e ability of PCHs to tr,..w the brain and placental -Amor* and points to a number 01 uv recognised edecta. inciuctns tl sudden onset of icuie poisov inf symptoms as much as tii.v.* years after accidental e.\.jnsjre to PCBs. In most case*, whether delayed or not. Jma;e is per.nar.ent. recovery :s rare. and no treatment is a-11 iaaic._ ` Hi1 ..rr.ien rrpoi la'on s-.u-iu-v of blood analyses carnc-d o r. on Japanese, tome of w.-.om a.'c PC poisoning pat.er;;, <r. Swedes. and on an Amcric: n who lave spent some ..me :/i Japan, lie draws ar.er.iiO.i r W. R..Core^ - B2SL W. B. Ppageorge - B2NA H. S. Bergen - B2SL E. P. Wheeler - A2SA y. F. Stapleton - B2SA K. H. Easley - 1920 P. J. A. Marah - 5040 *b*-2P[ ren permanent rLso Jm PUB levels found amoo Uie*r oho huve lived only a year orao in Japan. - This points to residual PCS component that ia unusually sUb.e. Once into a biological system, it may degrade so slow.y that even a very low intake can result in a growing accumulation. . PCBs have, m the West, been implicated in some major wild life catuirophe* and, although widely used since the 193IH, are now under voluntary control. In Mammals they may he accumulated only very slowly but at times or physiological stress may be suddenly mobi lised to produce acute poison ing. Perhnii- one of the most disturbing aspects of Uie Japan ese disaster, hke the mas.ove outbreak of mercury poisoning in Iraq, ia the lerzth of lime it has iitkrn tor information to be published. * HONS 068040