Use of 2,4,5-T
Sir, — Almost any compound or stress to which animals are subjected during early pregnancy is capable of producing embryotoxic effects which may result in birth defects if the dose rate is high enough. 2,4,5-T and T.C.D.D. are no different from many other substances, including various drugs, aspirin, nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, and vitamins A and C, etc. Bionetics work has been done with' mice at very high levels of 2,4,5-T badly contaminated with T.C.D.D. so birth defects were bound to appear. Such levels, and the means of administration (by injection) bear no relationship to human exposure and the use of 2,4,5-T in practice, within New Zealand at least. Mice, by the way, are extremely susceptible to some birth defects by many common agents (such as sugar) and mild forms of stress (such as air travel) anyway. Some of these comments apply also to the work conducted at Monash University. — Yours, etc., JOHN M. BALNEAVES, Rangiora. May 5, 1980.
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Press, 7 May 1980, Page 18
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160Use of 2,4,5-T Press, 7 May 1980, Page 18
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