Rachel Carson [[Silent Spring]] Documentary
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses the controversial impact of pesticides as highlighted in Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring.' It delves into the chemical industry's rebuttals, the government and public health perspectives, and the ecological consequences. The debate centers on the balance between the necessity of pest control and the potential long-term environmental and health risks, emphasizing the need for further research and a cautious approach to pesticide use.
Takeaways
- 📚 'Silent Spring' by Rachel Carson, first printed in 1962, has sold 500,000 copies and sparked a national debate on the use of chemical pesticides.
- 🌿 Carson argued that since the mid-1940s, over 200 chemicals were created for pest control, sold under thousands of brand names, and applied universally, affecting ecosystems.
- 🐦 The book claims that these chemicals, intended to kill pests, also harm beneficial insects and wildlife, leading to silent springs without bird songs due to their lethal effects.
- 🤔 Carson questioned the safety of pesticides, suggesting they should be called 'biocides' and criticized the lack of scientific evidence supporting their safety.
- 💬 The chemical industry, represented by Dr. Robert White-Stevens, refuted Carson's claims as distortions, asserting that without pesticides, pests would devastate ecosystems and human health.
- 🛡️ The government and many farmers defended the use of pesticides, citing their importance in controlling diseases like malaria and boosting agricultural production.
- 🚫 Carson advocated for a more cautious approach to pesticide use, emphasizing the need for better understanding of their long-term effects on the environment and human health.
- 🔬 There is an acknowledged lack of comprehensive data on the effects of pesticides on human health, wildlife, and the environment, indicating a need for further research.
- 🚫 The script highlights that some pesticide residues, once thought safe, have later been found to be harmful, necessitating changes in regulations and tolerance levels.
- 🌱 The report suggests a shift towards alternative pest control methods, such as biological controls, which are more precise and less harmful to the environment.
- 🌳 The debate over pesticides reflects a broader conflict about mankind's role in the environment and the ethical implications of manipulating nature for human benefit.
Q & A
What is the main argument of Rachel Carson's book 'Silent Spring'?
-Carson's main argument in 'Silent Spring' is that the widespread use of chemical pesticides is causing significant harm to the environment and could potentially lead to disastrous consequences for all life forms, including humans.
What was the chemical industry's response to Rachel Carson's claims in 'Silent Spring'?
-The chemical industry, represented by Dr. Robert White-Stevens, claimed that Carson's assertions were gross distortions, unsupported by scientific evidence, and that the real threat to humanity was not chemical but biological, in the form of pests that could devastate food supplies and spread diseases.
What are the potential environmental consequences of using pesticides as described in the script?
-The script describes that pesticides can kill beneficial insects, birds, and aquatic life, contaminate soil and water, and lead to the development of pesticide-resistant insect species, ultimately disrupting the balance of nature.
What is the role of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in regulating pesticide residues on food?
-The FDA is responsible for setting tolerance levels for pesticide residues on food, ensuring that these residues do not exceed safe levels, and monitoring interstate shipments of food to ensure compliance with these regulations.
How does the script address the issue of pesticide resistance in insects?
-The script mentions that over 137 different species of insects have become resistant to some insecticides, which has led to the need for producing new chemicals each year to which the insects are not resistant.
What are some of the health risks associated with pesticide exposure mentioned in the script?
-The script discusses the potential for acute pesticide poisoning, long-term exposure effects such as cancer and genetic damage, and the possible impact on human reproduction as health risks associated with pesticide exposure.
What is the position of the United States Department of Agriculture on the use of pesticides?
-The Department of Agriculture, represented by Secretary Orville Freeman, defends the use of pesticides as necessary for controlling pests that could otherwise cause significant agricultural losses and affect food production.
What is the significance of the statement 'the balance of nature is built of a series of interrelationships' in the context of the script?
-This statement emphasizes the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the potential for human interventions, such as the use of pesticides, to disrupt these delicate balances with unforeseen and far-reaching consequences.
What alternatives to chemical pesticides does the script suggest?
-The script suggests alternatives such as biological controls, including the use of natural insect predators, sterilizing insects, and using natural insect secretions as lures into traps.
What impact did 'Silent Spring' have on government policies and public awareness regarding pesticides?
-The script indicates that 'Silent Spring' led to increased public concern and prompted government agencies to review their pesticide programs, consider the need for better controls, and explore alternative pest control methods.
What is the role of the Public Health Service in the context of pesticide regulation and research?
-The Public Health Service is involved in studying the effects of pesticides on human health, setting safety standards, and conducting research to better understand the long-term and cumulative effects of pesticide exposure.
Outlines
📚 Controversy Over Pesticides in Silent Spring
The script introduces 'Silent Spring' by Rachel Carson, a groundbreaking book that sparked national debate on the use of chemical pesticides. Since its release in 1962, it has sold 500,000 copies. Carson argued that these chemicals, developed post-WWII, were not just killing pests but also harming the environment and human life. The chemical industry, represented by Dr. Robert White-Stevens, criticized Carson's claims as distortions, unsupported by evidence. The script sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the impact of pesticides on health, wildlife, and the ecosystem.
🌱 The Impact and Defense of Pesticides
This paragraph delves into the widespread use of pesticides in agriculture, with 28% of cultivated land sprayed annually. High-ranking officials, including the Surgeon General and the Secretary of Agriculture, defend the use of pesticides, citing their contributions to health and food production. However, concerns are raised about the safety of pesticide residues on food, with the FDA allowing traces of 127 different pesticides. The paragraph also acknowledges the toxicity of some pesticides and the reassurance given to the public about their safe use when following label instructions.
🚨 Rachel Carson's Critique of Pesticide Overuse
The script presents Rachel Carson's argument from 'Silent Spring' that the misuse of pesticides is causing more harm than good. Carson contends that these chemicals are being used without sufficient knowledge of their long-term effects on the environment and human health. She illustrates the damage to wildlife, soil, and water, and criticizes the false assurances given to the public about the safety of these chemicals. Carson calls for a more cautious and scientific approach to pest control, emphasizing the interconnectedness of life and the potential for irreversible damage.
🌿 Silent Spring's Influence and the Call for Change
The paragraph discusses the impact of 'Silent Spring' on public opinion and policy, with notable figures like Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas praising its importance. Despite accusations of scientific inaccuracies and emotional language, the book led to a reevaluation of pesticide use by government agencies. President Kennedy's administration responded to the concerns raised in the book by ordering a review of the pesticide program, indicating a shift towards acknowledging the potential hazards of pesticides and the need for better regulation.
🐟 The Ecological Consequences of Pesticide Use
This section highlights the ecological damage caused by pesticides, including the death of fish and wildlife due to contamination of water sources. It acknowledges the lack of comprehensive data on the effects of pesticides on the environment and human health. The script points out the challenges in measuring the long-term exposure effects on aquatic life and the potential for pesticide residues in drinking water. It also addresses the issue of pesticide-resistant insects, which has led to the development of new chemicals, adding to the cycle of environmental harm.
🔬 The Need for Further Research on Pesticides
The script emphasizes the need for more research to understand the full impact of pesticides on the environment and human health. It discusses the limited knowledge about pesticide persistence in water, their effects on wildlife, and the potential for bioaccumulation in organisms. The paragraph also raises questions about the long-term storage of pesticides in the human body and their potential effects on growth, reproduction, and genetic material, calling for more rigorous testing and understanding before these chemicals are released into the market.
🛑 The Challenge of Pesticide Regulation and Safety
This paragraph examines the challenges faced by regulatory bodies like the FDA in ensuring the safety of food and the environment. It discusses the limitations in current pesticide controls, the difficulty in彻底ly testing for genetic effects, and the need for more funding and resources for inspection and research. The script also highlights the potential risks of pesticide residues in food and the importance of setting stricter tolerances to protect public health.
🌱 The Debate on Biological Controls and Pest Management
The script presents a shift towards exploring alternative pest control methods, such as biological controls, which are more precise and less harmful to the environment. It discusses the potential of using natural predators, sterilization techniques, and insect secretions as part of integrated pest management strategies. Industry and government officials express support for further research in this area, acknowledging the limitations of chemical pesticides and the need for more sustainable solutions.
🌳 The Broader Implications of Human Interaction with Nature
The final paragraph reflects on the broader philosophical and ethical implications of human interaction with nature. It frames the debate around pesticides as part of a larger discussion about mankind's role in the environment and the consequences of attempting to control it. The script calls for a more responsible and informed approach to using our power to alter nature, emphasizing the need for maturity and self-mastery in our decisions that affect the ecological balance.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Silent Spring
💡Pesticides
💡Biocides
💡Environmental Controversy
💡Chemical Industry
💡Ecological Impact
💡Public Health
💡Biological Control
💡Pesticide Resistance
💡Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
💡Genetic Damage
Highlights
Silent Spring, first printed in 1962, has sold 500,000 copies and sparked national controversy on the use of chemical pesticides.
Biologist Rachel Carson's work on Silent Spring led to a debate on the impact of chemicals used for pest control.
Over 200 basic chemicals created post-mid-1940s for pest control are sold under thousands of brand names, raising concerns about their environmental impact.
Carson argues that pesticides should be termed biocides due to their non-selective nature, affecting all life forms, not just pests.
Chemical industry spokesman Dr. Robert White Stevens refutes Carson's claims, asserting that pesticides are essential and not harmful when used properly.
Pesticide use has been credited with the control of diseases like malaria, contributing to human health.
The USDA defends pesticide use, stating it is crucial for maintaining food and agricultural production.
Pesticide residues on food crops are regulated, with 127 different pesticides permitted by law, though their long-term safety remains uncertain.
Carson criticizes the lack of comprehensive information on the effects of pesticides on the environment and human health.
The public is largely uninformed about the potential hazards of pesticides, which Carson argues is a significant oversight.
Pesticide resistance in insects is increasing, leading to the development of new chemicals, which may pose further risks.
Carson calls for an end to false assurances and a need for better control of pesticide use.
The potential for pesticides to cause genetic damage and contribute to diseases like cancer is a concern raised by Carson.
The FDA admits to inadequacies in pesticide controls and the need for more rigorous testing and inspection.
Biological and environmental control methods are suggested as alternatives to chemical pesticides, though they face challenges in specificity and timing.
The debate over pesticide use reflects a broader conflict about man's role in manipulating nature for his benefit.
Carson emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting the balance of nature to ensure mankind's survival.
Transcripts
this is one of the nation's best sellers
first printed on September 27 1962 up to
now 500,000 copies have been sold and
Silent Spring has been called the most
controversial book of the year biologist
Rachel Carson who also wrote to see
around us worked for years in the
preparation of Silent Spring what she
wrote started a national quarrel
chemicals are the sinister and little
recognized partners of radiation in
changing the very nature of the world
the very nature of its life since the
mid-1940s over 200 basic chemicals have
been created for use in killing insects
weeds rodents and other organisms
described in the modern vernacular as
pests and they are sold under several
thousand different brand names these
sprays dusts and aerosols are now
applied almost universally to firms
gardens forests and homes non-selective
chemicals that have the power to kill
every insect the good and the bad
distill the song of birds and the
leaping of fishing streams to coat the
leaves with a deadly film and to linger
on in soil all this though the intended
target may be only a few weeds or
insects can anyone believe it is
possible to lay down such a barrage of
poisons on the surface of the earth
without making it unfit for all life
they should not be called insecticides
but biocides
a spokesman for the chemical industry
dr. Robert white Stevens the major
claims in miss Rachel Carson's book
Silent Spring are gross distortions of
the actual facts completely unsupported
by scientific experimental evidence and
general practical experience in the
field a suggestion that pesticides are
in fact biocides destroying our life is
obviously absurd in the light of the
fact that without selective biological
activity these compounds would
completely useless the real threat then
to the survival of man is not chemical
but biological in the shape of hordes of
insects that continued our forests sweep
over our crop lands ravaged our food
supply and leave in their wake a train
of destitution and hunger conveying to
an undernourished population the major
diseases and scourgeth of mankind if man
were to faithfully follow the teachings
of Miss Carson we would return to the
dark ages and the insects and diseases
and vermin would once again inherit the
earth
CBS reports the silent spring of Rachel
Carson here is CBS News correspondent
Eric severide good evening we are living
and what has been called the synthetic
age the age of the atom the missile the
frozen TV dinner in the next hour you
will hear that this is also the age of
the worm las' a palang the calculated
risk miss Rachel Carson and those who
agree with her charge that risks
involved in the use of chemical
pesticides far exceed the benefits they
provide including warmly samples in the
heat of this controversy one is reminded
of Abraham Lincoln's first words to
Harriet Beecher Stowe so you're the
little lady who wrote the book that made
this great war sit down please tonight
we shall sit down in an attempt to
examine a controversy and a problem that
begins here with the insect damage
caused by pests in this country alone an
estimated 14 billion dollars a year we
compete for our food with about 3,000
different species of insects some
carrying disease attack man directly the
insects were here perhaps 400 million
years before man arose and some
scientists believe that because of their
strength and adaptability they will be
here four hundred million years after
man vacates
it is said that their inheritance of the
earth if it comes could result from a
few false moves on the part of man today
man's defense rests primarily on
chemical poisons brewed in flasks and
test tubes synthetic organic pesticides
are the major weapon dr. Robert white
Stevens assistant to the director of
research American Cyanamid company
explained these chemicals to producer
Jay McMullen organic pesticides are
simply those compounds which contain
carbon and synthetic organic pesticides
are compounds which have been
synthesized by the chemist in the
laboratory taking fragments of various
other substances and putting them
together into a new molecular
configuration the total number of
pesticide formulations registered for
sale fifty five thousand five hundred
they come in insecticides
besides fungicides numata sides
rodenticides and herbicides we are told
conquer crabgrass and kill lawn insects
with one easy application put the
squeeze on garden insects in plant
disease kills aphids Japanese beetles
mites thrips earwigs and tent
caterpillars anytime is spray time
according to the National Academy of
Sciences 28% of our cropland under
cultivation is sprayed each year with
pesticides the country's total amount of
land treated with pesticides is
estimated at more than 194 million acres
the use of pesticides is defended by
industry government and many farmers for
reasons you are about to hear first the
Surgeon General of the United States dr.
Luther Terry on pesticides and human
health pesticides have contributed
considerably I would say greatly to
health in this country an example in
this direction I think is the control of
malaria which has been made possible in
this country by the use of pesticides
insecticides for instance back in 1935
we had over 150,000 cases of malaria in
the United States today we have
virtually none in the few cases that are
seen are usually brought in from abroad
also in terms of control of many other
diseases including encephalitis murine
typhus fever and many others I think
that one should appreciate that though
it has been of considerable importance
in this country worldwide the use of
insecticides and pesticides in the
control of human disease have been
probably of even greater significance
United States Department of Agriculture
also defends the use of pesticides
Secretary of Agriculture Orville Freeman
without the use of some of these
concurrence some of these pesticides and
some of these chemicals of various kinds
why we would have have let us say we're
food and agricultural production is
concerned if not insect ascendancy at
least insect equality and we'd be moving
on the
not the upside many of the new synthetic
chemicals are highly toxic contact
poisons inhalation or a few drops on the
skin may cause human illness or death
but we are told when pesticides
registered pesticides are used in
accordance with label instructions and
recommendations then there is no danger
to either man or to animals and wildlife
many of these chemicals are sprayed on
our food crops and tolerances are tiny
residues of 127 different pesticides are
permitted by law to be present on the
food we eat are these residues safe
George Larrick commissioner United
States Food and Drug Administration I do
not know of any human injuries caused by
an amount of pesticide on a food product
which did not exceed the tolerance even
though a substance may be toxic or very
poisonous in a certain amount as
pesticides are in smaller amounts it can
be used safely is that the general
principle yes they're not I wouldn't say
they are all very toxic they run the
gamut from relatively safe ones to very
toxic ones but the tolerances are all
based on the principle that you just
stated the maximum pesticide residues
permitted on the food we eat are 100
times smaller than the amount fed with
no sign of ill effects to a generation
of laboratory animals dr. Whelan Hayes
toxicologist Public Health Service there
is no evidence that the small doses of
pesticides that we do get are causing
any harm the only effect that can be
measured objectively is the storage of
one of them DDT in the tissues of most
people the amount stored in ordinary
people who eat ordinary food and have no
occupational exposure is less than n
parts per million this storage has not
caused any injury that we can detect up
to now we have presented only one side
of the pesticide controversy but there
is
more to be said miss Rachel Carson we've
heard the benefits of pesticides we have
heard a great deal about their safety
but very little about the hazards very
little about the failures the
inefficiencies and yet the public was
being asked to accept these chemicals
was being asked to acquiesce in their
use and did not have the whole picture
so I said about to remedy the the
balance there excerpts of miss Carson's
remedy Silent Spring first appeared in
The New Yorker magazine on June 16th
1962
then Houghton Mifflin company published
a complete text and Rachel Carson's
attack was launched chapter 2 the
obligation to endure it is not my
contention that chemical insecticides
must never be used
I do contend that we have put poisonous
and biologically potent chemicals
indiscriminately into the hands of
persons largely or wholly ignorant of
their potentials for harm I contend
furthermore that we have allowed these
chemicals to be used with little or no
advanced investigation of their effect
on soil water wildlife and man himself
chapter 6 the Earth's green mantle many
herbs shrubs and trees of forest and
range depend on native insects for their
reproduction without these plants many
wild animals and range stock would find
little food
now clean cultivation and the chemical
destruction of hedgerows and weeds are
eliminating the last sanctuaries of
these pollinating insects and breaking
the threads that bind life
to life chapter 7 needless haven't we
poisoned the catus flies in the stream
and the salmon rums dwindle and die we
poison the gnats in a lake and the
poison travels from link to link of the
food chain and soon the birds of the
lake margins become it's big
we spray our Elms and the following
Springs are silent of robbing song not
because we sprayed the Robbins directly
but because the poison traveled
step-by-step through the now-familiar
elm leaf earthworm robbing cycle when
the public protests confronted with some
obvious evidence of damaging results of
pesticide applications it is fed little
tranquillizing pills of half-truth we
urgently need an end to these false
assurances to the sugar coating of
unpalatable facts chapter 16 the
rumblings of an avalanche spraying kills
off the weaklings inevitably it follows
that intensive spraying with powerful
chemicals only makes worse the problem
it is designed to solve the list of
resistant species now includes all the
insect groups of medical importance
beyond the dreams of the Borgias so
thoroughly has the age of poisons become
established that any one may walk into a
store and without questions being asked
by substances of far greater
death-dealing power than the medicinal
drug for which he may be required to
sign a poison book in the pharmacy next
door in river or lake or reservoir or
for that matter in the glass of water
served at your dinner table are mingled
chemicals that no responsible chemist
would think of combining in his
laboratory and there are so called
tolerances which permit small residues
of most of these chemicals to occur on
food the human price with always said
about the hazards of the fan of
gardening by poisons or insecticides
used in the home the sudden illness or
death of farmers spray men and others
exposed to appreciable quantities of
pesticides are tragic and should not
occur but for the population as a whole
we must be more concerned with the
delayed effects of absorbing small
amounts of the pesticides that in
visibly contaminate our world we have to
remember the children born today are
exposed to these chemicals from birth
perhaps even before birth now what is
going to happen to them in adult life as
a result of that exposure we simply
don't know because we never before had
this kind of experience now we know from
experiments on animals that many of
these chemicals accumulate and body
tissues we know that some are liver
poisons others are nerve poisons and for
still others we have evidence that they
produce mutations and in various other
ways are exceedingly dangerous materials
now all of these things even any one of
them together would be ample cause for
caution but I think added together they
mean that unless we do bring these
chemicals under better control we are
certainly headed for disaster Silent
Spring became the book-of-the-month club
selection for October naturalist and
Supreme Court Justice William O Douglas
said Silent Spring is the most important
chronicle of this century for the human
race the New York Times reported the men
who make the pesticides are crying foul
and companies are preparing briefs in
defense of their products now although
there are a number of scientific errors
missed quotations and obvious
misinterpretations in her book it must
be admitted that much of her material is
in part at least scientifically accurate
the area of disagreement between miss
Carson and students have applied
agricultural chemistry however will lie
in her clearly misplaced emphasis she
discounts and deliberately depreciates
all those safety measures which research
laborious Lee has developed and built
into each new agricultural chemical that
emerges while she concomitant playbills
the possible and alleged hazards of
these compounds to horrible and simply
staggering diamond
Time magazine agreed it called miss
Carson's book and emotional and
inaccurate outburst but the majority of
magazines and newspaper reviews and
editorials were favorable a New York
Times editorial suggested that miss
Carson would be as deserving of the
Nobel Prize as was the inventor of DDT
if her book helped to arouse enough
public concern to immunize government
agencies against the blandishments of
the hucksters and enforces adequate
controls Silent Spring did have an
impact in Washington after food and drug
administration Commissioner George
Larrick said I think very definitely it
had an impact on the Food and Drug
Administration I think it causes all of
us to take a new look at our
responsibilities to the general public
at the Department of Agriculture
Secretary Freeman let's say the book I
believe will have helped the American
people in alerting them that we need to
do more work but we also need to be
personally conscious this is like
anything else the government isn't going
to do it for you somebody else isn't
going to do it for you basically gonna
have to do it for yourself and that
means to protect yourself and that means
to see to it that your government
protects you or you can't protect
yourself during the past years do you
think that the public was sufficiently
praised of the potential hazards of
pesticides the answer I could say very
quickly is no at his press conference on
August 29th 1962 President Kennedy was
asked to be going concern among
scientists that the possibility of
dangerous long-range side effects from
the widespread use of DDT and other
pesticides
have you considered asking the
Department of Agriculture or the Public
Health Service to take a closer look at
this yes and I know that they already
are I think particularly of course miss
Carson sport but they are examining the
matter the next day the administration
announced that the government pesticide
program would be reviewed by the Federal
Council on science and technology and by
a panel of the president's Science
Committee CBS reports the Silent Spring
of Rachel
Carson will continue charges and
counter-charges have been made but the
glare of controversy tended to obscure
acknowledgement on all sides that a
pesticide problem does exist how serious
this problem may be is at issue we shall
attempt now to present some facts
present to the issue which are not
disputed first according to the Public
Health Service at least 150 persons died
in this nation every year as a result of
acute pesticide poisoning but a
tabulation of deaths from pesticides has
not been made since 1956 7 years ago the
total number of injuries or illnesses
caused by pesticides each year is
unknown last year California reported
850 workers injured through the use of
pesticides occasional careless use of
pesticides on food crops also has
resulted in acute poisoning of consumers
George Larry Commissioner Food and Drug
Administration we have had instances of
acute poisoning where somebody would use
an unauthorized amount very greatly
exceeding the tolerance or use a
pesticide on a crop where they were not
authorized to use it at all and in those
instances we have had acute poisoning
episodes fortunately these instances are
rare but they're the sort of thing that
we've all got to watch out for with
great care do they bring nightmares to
the Food and Drug Administration with
thoughts of this kind well they bring
great concern I will assure you I have I
don't think in all honesty that the
controls that were able to exercise
today are truly sufficient in the light
of the growing technology and the
growing use of pesticides in this field
what part of the reason for that be the
use of widespread spraying for example
from airplanes yes because of air drift
and wind changes as much as 80% of a
pesticide sprayed from a plane may miss
the target and according to government
experts on occasion this has caused and
Rize contamination of food crops or
animal fodder
it is also conceded that the use of
pesticides has resulted in some damage
to fish and wildlife speaking for
industry dr. white Stevens it is to be
admitted that in certain cases the use
of pesticides on a large scale have
reduced certain species of our wildlife
in those areas however in general the
wildlife has quickly recovered and the
impact of these pesticides upon wildlife
is really quite insignificant dr. John
Buckley director United States Fish &
Wildlife Research Center I think there
is no doubt that the use of pesticides
has resulted in the extensive damage to
wildlife we can't measure this on a
continent-wide basis but wherever we
have conducted careful studies we have
had losses that averaged 80% or more
could any of this damage have been
avoided I think that some of this damage
could have been avoided but there's a
great deal of this which was the result
of carefully carried out programs and
given the present methods and materials
that we have it could not have been
avoided on the other hand some of it
certainly was a result of accident or
the result of miscalculation where we
plan not to treat so close to streams as
we in fact did treat other things of
this sort that our water contains
pesticides also is uncontested pesticide
water pollution studies are being
conducted by dr. Paige Nicholson of the
United States Public Health Service
we've learned that pesticides can be
flushed off the land following intense
under showers in sufficient quantities
to destroy aquatic life this is usually
made obvious by floating dead fish in
the vicinity we've also learned that
pesticides can be leached off the soil
over considerable periods of time in
sub-lethal quantities this has been
observed more or less year around in our
study areas are we routinely ingesting
pesticides in our drinking water in some
instances yes well have you found in
drinking water any pesticide whose
residue is not permitted on food crops
because that residue is considered to be
too toxic for human ingestion we've
found one insecticide belonging to the
chlorinated hydrocarbon group are there
any indications that there may be other
pesticides in this class that are also
in our water there may be but we've made
no survey of the field to determine this
the Food and Drug Administration
prohibits any pesticide residues in milk
because milk may be the main diet of
infants of course being tested every day
does the Public Health Service have any
regulations limiting pesticide residues
in water
no there's not that in milk one
insecticide has been found occasionally
also is a fact
George Larrick commissioner United
States Food and Drug Administration
there are there are extremely Manute
traces of DDT found occasionally in in
milk but those amounts are almost down
to the infinite in in the quantity but
we have never set a tolerance for DDT in
milk and our objective is to keep
pesticides generally out of milk which
has a very special status in our food
supply and the food for babies that in
the fan or tissues of fish wildlife and
man there may be an accumulation and
storage of some pesticide residues is
not contested dr. weiland haze
toxicologist Public Health Service all
chemicals that are absorbed or stored to
some extent but some of them are
excreted very rapidly now all of the
chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides are
stored for a long while that pesticide
storage has adversely affected the
growth and reproduction of pheasants
ducks and some other game birds also is
a fact recently established dr. Buckley
of the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service
we have found a reduction in the number
of eggs laid a reduction of the
fertility of the eggs that are laid a
reduction in the number that hatch from
these which were fertile a reduction in
the number of viable chicks that are
produced from the eggs that do hatch and
lastly an increased percentage of
cripples among the young which do hatch
in this case not only does it affect
reproduction but if you'll notice these
pheasants here this is a normal male
pheasant you can see the white band on
the neck
this is a male pheasant whose diet
included about a hundred and twenty five
parts per million of one of the
chlorinated hydrocarbons this male has
none of the normal Pullman's
characteristics that you find in the
normal male pheasant
this you notice has plumage which is
typically that of the female and one
other thing I should point out on this
too is that is that the levels that do
this are much below the level which will
produce death and this is true not alone
of the insecticides but also this is
true of some of our common herbicides
you know where at levels as low as 1/4
that necessary to kill will adversely
affect the ability to reproduce finally
what has happened to the insects more
than a hundred and thirty seven
different species of insects have become
resistant to some insecticides this is
the reason for producing new chemicals
each year to which the insects are not
resistant Jay McMullen asks dr. white
Stevens why is it necessary to produce
pesticides that are a potential hazard
to people well of course the problem is
that we have to kill the insect we do
everything we possibly can to produce
compounds which are toxic to insects but
not particularly toxic to animals this
is a very difficult thing to do because
living processes are fairly common to
all creatures miss Carson contends that
pesticide chemicals are used without
sufficient knowledge of their effects on
man and
environment yet according to industry
each new pesticide that reaches the
market undergoes from three to five
years of experimentation costing as much
as two and a half million dollars pilot
field tests must prove the pesticide
utility to the Department of Agriculture
the Food and Drug Administration must
review all experimental data on animal
tests and certify that the pesticide can
be used safely if label directions are
followed despite all this do we know
enough about the effects of pesticides
McMullen question dr. Paige Nicholson
water pollution expert Public Health
Service do you know how long the
pesticides persist in the water once
they get into it not entirely do you
know the extent to which our groundwater
may be contaminated right now by
pesticides we don't know that either nor
do we know if concentration may be
occurring in groundwater do you know the
effect of long-term exposure of
pesticides on aquatic life not
completely do you know how pesticides
may interact with in water organisms
this too is an area where we need to
know more what remains to be known about
the effects of pesticides on birds and
other wildlife dr. John Buckley director
United States Fish & Wildlife Research
Center proportionally we've just barely
made a dent in life in this whole field
of knowledge we've examined something
like sixty compounds out of the several
hundred that are in common use we've
examined their effects and not many more
than a dozen species and yet there are
well over a thousand species of birds
alone while birds and mammals that we're
concerned with there are many kinds of
fish that we're concerned with and yet
it's only a few of these that we've
looked at at all in addition we'd like
to know the levels of residues of most
of the common pesticides throughout the
total environment we find them on birds
for example taken from almost any place
and it's most unusual to find a fish
sample from any place that doesn't
contain a detectable residue we need to
know the rate at which these are taken
up
the rate at which they're eliminated the
length of time and they stay the part of
the organism they affect whether they
for example we find concentrations of
certain of these in the brain tissue and
liver tissue in the testes in the breast
muscle just widely scattered through the
animal largely tied up in the fats of
the animal wherever they may be do you
need to know then how these
concentrations affect these particular
organs the brain the liver yes we need
to know the effects of these these
compounds on each of these organs or the
conversely the lack of effect but we
need to know what we need to answer the
question so what when we find this
material here what does it mean and this
this I don't think we know well for any
compound in any individual burden
finally how does ingestion and long-term
storage of pesticides affect the human
body only a few human experiments have
been made dr. Luther Terry Surgeon
General United States Public Health
Service one of the things that has
caused considerable concern to us with
relation to insecticides and pesticides
is the question of what happens with
low-level long range exposure of human
beings to these substances and the
question is for instance with the
chlorinated hydrocarbons when they do
accumulate in the fat of man does this
do any harm at what level must the
accumulation reach to be harmful to
man's held earlier in this program a
Public Health Service toxicologist
stated there is no evidence that the
small doses of pesticides we get are
causing harm but is there no evidence as
a result of investigation or is there no
evidence because no investigation has
been made the total number of pesticides
studied by the Public Health Service for
cumulative effects on humans
3
in Silent Spring miss Carson stresses
the possibility that pesticide chemicals
may be working harm in man in ways as
yet undetected
perhaps contributing to cancer leukemia
genetic damage in the absence of proof
her critics can see that these are
possibilities but not probabilities and
they accused miss Carson of alarmism
yet few scientists deny that some risk
may be involved Jay McMullen asked dr.
Hart during staff member of the
president's science committee if the
growth and reproduction of wildlife is
adversely affected by pesticides may man
also be affected in similar ways the
answer this question is not easy there
is no direct relationship between
wildlife and man but there is an
indirect relation and to be prudent we
must assume that this reaction could be
taking place in man that there could be
an effect on reproduction we need to
study this to determine whether in fact
this is true or not it is true that some
pesticide residues on food originally
thought to be safe for human ingestion
later proved to be unsafe Commissioner
Larrick of the Food and Drug
Administration we discovered for example
that certain class of pesticides had an
adverse effect on what we call chlorine
s trace which is the chemical in the
body that has to do with nerve impulses
and we discovered that this was an
effect that was cumulative if you had
two of the chemicals of the same general
class you had perhaps more than double
the harm so we had to take that new fact
into account and we stopped allowing any
more tolerances with any of those till
we had figured out that relationship but
fortunately the action was taken before
I think any harm was done to the public
the FDA also discovered through improved
means of measurement that residues of
some pesticides permitted on food crops
for many years were in fact too toxic
for human consumption still other
pesticides were found to cause cancer in
laboratory animals
and were banned from further use on food
but the FDA admits that two pesticides
presently permitted on food have caused
tumors in experimental animals at issue
is whether or not any pesticide residues
should be permitted on food sent to
market here is miss Carson's
recommendation for some chemicals where
small residues were permitted a few
years ago now with increasing knowledge
it has been necessary to reduce the
tolerance to zero now in my feeling if
that can be done for some it can be done
for all J McMullen put this question to
dr. Arnold layman chief toxicologist
Food and Drug Administration for some
pesticides you set a zero tolerance
meaning that no residue of those
pesticides may be present on crops when
they're marketed why not set zero
tolerances for all pesticides
I wish I could answer that question and
the happy mood but I can't because the
insects won't cooperate some insects
wait until the crop is mature and then
attack the mature crop and nature
provides the time of the appearance of
the insects when their food crop is at
its best in other words you might have
to use the pesticide very soon before
the crop is being harvested because it's
being attacked that is right and
consequently then the pesticide residue
will be on the crop there's no way of
getting rid of it that's right you mean
that is right
interstate shipments of food containing
pesticide residues either unauthorized
or exceeding the amount permitted by law
may be seized by inspectors of the Food
and Drug Administration and destroyed
but our consumers adequately protected
by the FDA miss Carson at the present
time the Food and Drug Administration is
greatly overburdened it has a very
inadequate staff for checking the
shipments that move from one state to
another now obviously they need a great
deal more money they need a great deal a
great many more inspectors FDA
Commissioner George Larrick we have been
sampling about 1/3
1% of the shipments that move in
interstate commerce this year Congress
has given us enough money so that we
hope to sample 1% of the shipments but I
do not think that's enough another
recommendation I feel very strongly
about is that we should have legislation
requiring that these pesticide chemicals
be thoroughly tested for a genetic
effect before they're put on the market
now we certainly have had tragic warning
in the recent months that drugs can
cause serious malformations and other
defects in generations yet unborn
now pesticides may well have the same
effect
doctor layman of the Food and Drug
Administration I have talked to
geneticists about this problem and in
order to establish the genetic effect
they tell me that the test must go
through at least 20 generations our
man's generation is about 25 years that
would take 500 years to test that on a
man you don't have to test these on
generations of human beings you can test
them on laboratory animals the same sort
of organisms that have been used
successfully for many years to determine
genetic effect in spite of her view that
present pesticide safeguards are
inadequate miss Carson does not advocate
discontinuing the use of pesticides
immediately instead she proposes a
gradual shift to other methods of pest
control we must go on to think in terms
of other methods of control of much more
scientific much more accurate and
precise methods and these do lie in the
field of biological controls speaking
for industry dr. white Stevens
the trouble with biological control is
that it's far too specific one predator
eating only one insect when it shouldn't
we need to control 20 on a given crop it
is usually too late the predator doesn't
arrive until
time as the pest has already ravaged the
problem this isn't just a matter of
setting the insects to eating each other
as many people suppose biological
controls might involve something like
sterilizing large numbers of the insect
that you desire to be rid of these
sterile males will then meet with the
wild insects and in time compete so
successfully that the population will be
wiped out it might mean also the use of
natural secretions of the insects as
lures which would draw them perhaps into
traps containing poisons all of these
methods are being experimented with some
of the great deal of promise J McMullen
asked Secretary of Agriculture Orville
Freeman are you in favor of more
research in the field of biological
controls yes indeed I think this is the
direction in which it should move and
the direction in which it is
increasingly moving a vibe money is the
Department of Agriculture spending
annually for Biological life in the
biological and environmental control
area we are presently spending about a
million and a half dollars a year in
research this figure compares with the
two million dollar figure which industry
says it costs them to produce just one
pesticide are you asking for more funds
for Biological control we're moving
we're asking for all the funds that we
can effectively use in this area and
giving it very very strong emphasis
there's a good deal of pioneering
research going forward and we are
continuing to give it very strong
emphasis the research insofar as
pesticides are concerned the money for
that comes from industry the money for
Biological control must come from whom
much come from the taxpayer producer
reporter J McMullen spent eight months
investigating the issues involved in the
pesticide problem this report continues
in
his words eight months ago we set out to
determine just how serious the pesticide
problem really is in that attempt we
have failed
without sufficient facts there can be no
meaningful conclusion to review on this
report scientist after scientist has
pointed to an appalling scarcity of
facts concerning the effects of
pesticides on man and his environment
you have heard that statistics on
fatalities or non-fatal accidents or
illnesses caused by pesticides are
either non-existent or incomplete what
about the cumulative and long-range
effects of pesticides are these
chemicals causing genetic damage or
contributing to cancer or leukemia
without research there is no evidence
without evidence there is no answer
should we be alarmed when the
Commissioner of the United States Food
and Drug Administration states flatly as
he did on this program that pesticide
controls are inadequate should we be
alarmed that we are ingesting some
pesticides that have affected
reproduction or caused tumors and
laboratory animals we don't know the
answers to these questions eight months
ago the president's science committee
began its investigation but up to now no
report has been issued and CBS News has
learned that dissension among government
agencies is delaying that report in
Silent Spring miss Carson said it is the
public that is being asked to assume the
risks that the insect controllers
calculate the public must decide whether
it wishes to continue on the present
road and it can do so only when in full
possession of the facts in the words of
Jean rust on the obligation to endure
gives us the right to know finally it
would seem that the basic arguments
between miss Carson and her critics
transcend the specific pesticide issue
for they involve a conflict of attitude
toward man's role in his environment and
his attempts to control and manipulate
nature for his own benefit dr. white
Stevens the tracks the forum of
the argument chiefly arrests is that
Miss Carson maintains that the balance
of nature is a major force in the
survival of man whereas the modern
chemist the modern biologists the model
scientist believes that man is steadily
controlling nature that he has already
disrupted the balance of nature by his
over burgeoning numbers his cities and
his airports in his roads and the way of
his life now to these people apparently
the the balance of nature was something
that was repealed as soon as man came on
the scene well you might just as well
assume that you could repeal the law of
gravity the balance of nature is built
of a series of interrelationships
between living things and between living
things in their environment you can't
just step in with some brute force and
change one thing without changing that
many others now this doesn't mean of
course that we must never interfere but
we must not attempt to tilt that balance
of nature in our favor but we do make
this attempt we must know what we're
doing we must know the consequences
man's attitude toward nature is today
critically important simply because we
have now acquired a fateful power to
alter and to destroy nature but man is a
part of nature and his war against
nature is inevitably a war against
himself the rains have become an
instrument to bring down from the
atmosphere the deadly products of atomic
explosions water which is probably our
most important natural resource is now
used and reused with incredible
recklessness now I truly believe that we
in this generation must come to terms
with nature and I think we're challenged
mankind has never been challenged before
to prove our maturity and our mastery
not of nature but of ourselves
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