BOOK REVIEW:

Designer Poisons: How to Protect Your Health and Home from Toxic Pesticides

By Richard Alexander

Many authors have contacted The Consumer Law Page seeking inclusion on this site. This book so impressed us that we wrote this review.

In two words: thank goodness.

This book is a long overdue source of essential information on common household pesticides by a highly respected medical doctor and scientist well versed in environmental and occupational medicine. It is a powerhouse of information on diseases, adverse health effects and potential injuries caused by household pesticides.

Written by one of the nation's foremost authorities on pesticides, Dr. Marion Moses, Designer Poisons' major focus is on chronic effects: the seemingly small, and apparently minor, exposures which occur on a regular basis over a long period of time but which tragically result in cancer, reproductive disorders, and damage to the brain and nervous system. The culprits? A broad range of commonly available chemicals that are readily found at home and used day in and day out by the unsuspecting. Although acute health effects are also clearly described by the author, the major value of this book is that it addresses the devastating effect of chronic exposures.

The U.S. chemical industry prefers to ignore chronic effects and EPA and NIOSH mandated Material Safety Data Sheets are seriously deficient because they are limited to describing the symptoms of acute exposures, when for most workers it is the repetitive, long-term exposure that is the cause of devastating injuries and death. Moses is to be applauded for forthrightly addressing the chronic exposure issues in this new book.

The book is packed with unique, detailed tables listing potential chronic effects for the active ingredients in hundreds of brand name products sold over-the-counter and used by professional exterminators in the home, on humans, pets, and lawns. It also cross indexes chemical names with trade and generic names.

Designer Poisons is a valuable and authoritative source of essential information on the health aspects of pesticides. This book is an invaluable reference for assessing potential pesticide-related illnesses and evaluating the responsibility of manufacturers for resulting injuries.

This book is strongly recommended for physicians, toxicologists, occupational medicine clinics, public health officials, health and safety regulation administrators, attorneys and anyone interested in the diagnosis, etiology and prevention of chronic chemical exposure injuries and illnesses.

Designer Poisons: How to Protect Your Health and Home from Toxic Pesticides by Marion Moses, M.D., 1995. Soft cover, 413 pp., $19.95

Pesticide Education Center
P. O. Box 420870
San Francisco, CA 94142

pec@igc.apc.aorg
415-391-8511
800-732-3733.

© Richard Alexander, 1996-2007.

Richard Alexander is a specialist in personal injury litigation with 30 years in-depth experience. Emphasizing working relationships with clients has led to an exceptional record of success. He has served as a member of the Board of Governors of The State Bar of California, President of the Santa Clara County Bar Association and the Board of Governors of Consumer Attorneys of California. He is a founding member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates, and heads Alexander Hawes, LLP.

Alexander Hawes, LLP is a California law firm that specializes in personal injury, wrongful death, and financial losses caused by negligence, defective products, toxic chemicals, corporate misconduct or insurance fraud on behalf of consumers, small investors, injured workers and small businesses. In addition to individual cases the firm prosecutes class actions for large groups of individuals who have suffered financial loss as a result of corporate fraud, defective consumer products, and environmental pollution. The firm holds Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating and is recognized in the List of Preeminent Law Firms in the U. S.

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