The Poison Paradox: Chemicals as Friends and Foes.THE POISON PARADOX: Chemicals as Friends and Foes JOHN TIMBRELL The word poison suggests substances such as dioxin dioxin Aromatic compound, any of a group of contaminants produced in making herbicides (e.g., Agent Orange), disinfectants, and other agents. Their basic chemical structure consists of two benzene rings connected by a pair of oxygen atoms; when substituents on the rings are or arsenic. But any chemical, in high enough dosage, can qualify as poison. Toxicologist toxicologist (tok´sikol´  jist),n a person versed in toxicology. toxicologist a specialist in toxicology. Timbrell's aim in this informative book is not to raise alarm about the dangers of chemicals but to educate readers on how chemicals affect and often improve their lives. He explains how chemicals are absorbed into the body and the mechanisms by which they act as tonics, in the case of medicines, or as toxins. He reviews how familiar substances, such as aspirin and acetaminophen acetaminophen (əsēt'əmĭn`əfĭn), an analgesic and fever-reducing medicine similar in effect to aspirin. It is an active ingredient in many over-the-counter medicines, including Tylenol and Midol. , lower fevers and ease inflammation and explores the tragedy behind thalidomide thalidomide (thəlĭd`əmĭd'), sleep-inducing drug found to produce skeletal defects in developing fetuses. The drug was marketed in Europe, especially in West Germany and Britain, from 1957 to 1961, and was thought to be so safe that , a drug that had been deemed safe for pregnant women but resulted in malformations of babies. Moreover, he covers how illicit drugs, plant and animal toxins, environmental contaminants, and food additives food additives, substances added to foods by manufacturers to prevent spoilage or to enhance appearance, taste, texture, or nutritive value. By quantity, the most common food additives are flavorings, which include spices, vinegar, synthetic flavors, and, in the affect the human body. Finally, he reveals how governments determine the hazards and risks of chemicals when evaluating them for widespread use. Oxford Univ. Press, 2005, 348 p., hardcover, $29.95. |
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