Chemophobia: irrational plague?
An article from Slate, Don’t Take Medical Advice From the New York Times Magazine http://goo.gl/EYaFh is being re-shared and discussed quite a bit on G+. So h/t to Gaythia Weis Jennifer Ouellette Mary Mangan and Google Plus Science Lab
It’s a great article about chemophobia and discusses a story about a mother who would rather give her child some Chinese medicine rather than what the “Western doctor” prescribed. It points out that supplements are not heavily regulated and so the dose and composition of the supplements can vary wildly. So you actually don’t know what you are getting.
When I come across people who display signs of chemophobia or who try to promote only “natural” products, I try my best to politely remind them that snake bites are natural too. Arsenic, cyanide, carbon monoxide can be deadly and are very much natural. You can get any of those three chemicals, naturally from the environment. In fact you probably have traces of arsenic in your blood.
Here’s an old post about rhubarb, natural and delicious.
Rhubarb poisoning not from a rube
I was going to use a belladonna plant for the main picture as belladonna can be poisonous. Atropa belladonna http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belladonna_(plant)
Note that atropine is derived from belladonna and it can be used medicinally (Western medicine) for bradycardia (low heart rate) and ironically to counteract organophosphate poisoning (it’s not an antidote, it blocks the action of acetylcholine). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atropine
Which brings me to another one of my favorite comments when it comes to chemophobia.
Alle Ding’ sind Gift, und nichts ohn’ Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist.
“All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; only the dose permits something not to be poisonous.” Paracelsus
The only real difference between medicine and poison is the dose….and intent. Oscar G. Hernandez, MD
Here’s another good article about chemophobia.
The best antidote for this irrational plague of fear is the same as it usually is: good science, clearly understood, and openly available to all. Seymour Garte, Ph.D.
Our Chemophobia Conundrum
The picture is from a NY Times article that was discussed here.
Who can resist?: #Chemophobia in the NYT
Ultimately, this is a problem of psychology. In the age of high-investment parenting, threats to our children can overrun any rational defense a parent might be able to construct… As a chemist, I find chemophobia pretty ridiculous. As a parent, I’m in sympathy — we all fear unknown threats to our kids. I merely ask that parents step back from genuine fear-mongering that we get from Environmental Working Group and the like and try to gain a rational, risk-based perspective on chemicals in the home.
Finally, here is another article that made the rounds on G+.
America’s Real Criminal Element: Lead
#ScienceEveryday when it isn’t #ScienceSunday
I leave you with.