The Golden Age of Pesticides
DDT -the panacea- revolutionized American agriculture and protected citizens from epidemics. The entire country viewed’ DDT, and other pesticides, as its guardian angel.
Beginning of Pesticides: World War II
"Eventually, pockets of troops, many in the South Pacific, unwittingly became guinea pigs for potential anti-malaria drugs. But certain treatments were worthless or harmful, leaving numerous service members with lasting organ damage..."
- Karen Masterson, The Malaria Project, 2014
- Karen Masterson, The Malaria Project, 2014
"Armed with DDT, the Army has conquered the fear of typhus. For the first time in history, this ruthless companion of disaster, famine and poverty has lost all right to its murderous title of champion of the ancient plagues of war."
- General James Stevens Simmons, How Magic is DDT: The Saturday Evening Post, January 6, 1945 |
Mass Production of Pesticides
"In these early days, there were no downsides to pesticides. After all, the public could see the miracles happening before their eyes. DDT had been used effectively during World War II to kill the insects that carried malaria and typhus, saving the lives of thousands of GIs. In the 50s, very little was known about any problems with these chemical miracles. The studies had just not been done, yet."
- Bill Ganzel, Ganzel Group, 2007 |
"...sections of the city are literally fogged with the insecticide in the fight to stop the spread of polio..."
- Universal News, 1946 |
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"...8,000 head of cattle showed that spraying or dipping with DDT through the fly season improved the gains of beef cattle on pasture an average of one-half pound a day... the entire 8,000 head it meant 400,000 pounds more beef produced at a cost of some labor and a little money... The treatment indicated that knocking out the flies would improve the flow of milk by 15 percent."
- Nebraska Farmer Magazine, 1946 |