After reading the compelling book “Fatal
Deception” by Michael Bowker regarding the toxic tragedy of
Libby, Montana and asbestos, I couldn’t help but marvel at the
striking similarities with
Thimerosal particularly in the manner the industry and various
regulatory agencies “handled” the matter in the face of mounting
litigation. For any one who has not read the book, it is one
of the "must read" books of the year.
The asbestos industry and its defenders even used the SAME tired
lines we hear from Thimerosal defenders, “There’s no credible
evidence to accept or reject…blah, blah, blah” yet history has
shown us this is not true with either asbestos or Thimerosal.
Knowing it was
the dedicated efforts of credible scientists, like Dr. Irving J.
Selikoff, who refused to be silenced and the relentless pursuit of
the truth by workers and their families (aka “troublemakers” by the
industry) that ultimately led to the asbestos situation being
exposed. I took a chance to see if occupational medicine and/or
industrial workers would give some insight into the Thimerosal
issue…hoping perhaps the National Immunization Program forgot to
have NIOSH purge their files of all “unpleasant” mercury data like
the some of the other agencies (FDA, CDC/NIP, EPA, NIH, NIAID, AMA,
AAP, AAFP, WHO, EMEA, etc) whose links/references to Thimerosal and
ethyl mercury have largely been culled or at least "sanitized."
BINGO! I found this document at
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/7311024b.pdf.
Actually, this is but one section of a larger document.
“These low urine mercury levels in
symptomatic workers lend support to the hypothesis of Copplestone and McArthur [116] that ‘mercurialism might be due
to an inability to
excrete mercury rather than simply to exposure'.“
I believe you will find
it is a very important document particularly the repeated and varied
references to the reduced Hg levels (urine) in the SYMPTOMATIC
exposed group versus the higher Hg levels (urine) in the
ASYMPTOMATIC exposed group. This follows exactly the findings of
Dr. Boyd Haley and Dr. Amy Holmes) with their hair study. Which
correlates with the findings of Dr. Mady Hornig and Dr. Thomas
Burbacher of which the mechanisms of this happening with Thimerosal
are validated by Dr. Jeff Bradstreet and Dr. Richard Deth’s work.
It also, to a certain extent, confirms the blood levels found by Dr
Pichichero albeit with strikingly different conclusions from his
(although he and the CDC meant his study to “clear” or exonerate
thimerosal in order to mitigate the public relations damage that
would occur to the National Immunization Program when the public
found out about Dr. Stajich’s “preemie” Hg study at Mercer,
Pichichero foolishly failed to consider the obvious possibly of the Hg being
retained in the body tissues/organs (i.e. brain, kidneys, etc). His
short-sighted version of “well it’s not in the blood, so it must
have been excreted” hypothesis is growing weaker with each study.
One of the reasons Pichichero was chosen to do the study clearing
Thimerosal is he had published a study just 5 months prior to
Stajich's presentation of September 1998 that stated it was safe to
immunize pre-term infants. Additionally, University of
Rochester, home of Pichichero, receives about $40 million per year
in royalties on the Hib vaccine.
There are several
sections referencing the acute abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc.
associated with mercury poisoning that tie in with the work of Dr.
Andrew Wakefield. This document is further confirmation of his
hypothesis…the mercury in Thimerosal (“thiomersal” to Brits) is the
“set-up” or precursor for the MMR to strike its blow in some of
these children.
Here is
the link to the full NIOSH document:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/73-11024.html.
It is quite an undertaking to read the entire thing but well worth
the trouble. Below are but a few excerpts:
“Because alkyl mercurials (ethyl
and methyl mercury compounds) are known to have a significantly
greater toxic effect than other forms of mercury, [23, 24]
a separate criteria document, specific to alkyl mercury, is under
consideration. Therefore, discussion of alkyl mercury compounds in this document
will be limited to occasional comparison
with effects of other forms of mercury”
“The onset of symptoms of mercury toxicity from chronic exposure is
insidious, [16, 35] and with the exception of tremor, may be ignored by the individual or attributed to other causes.
This is particularly true with erethism, which is characterized by
irritability, outbursts of temper, excitability, shyness, resentment
of criticism, headache, fatigue, and indecision. [16, 32]
Erethism is the most difficult manifestation of chronic mercury
toxicity to evaluate, particularly when tremor is absent and these
symptoms may be attributed to anxiety or neurasthenia.”
“Some central nervous system effects as manifested by dysarthria,
ataxia, and constricted visual fields, have been regarded as significant signs of organic mercury
poisoning; however, these effects occur most prominently with alkyl mercury poisoning. [36]”
“Kark et al [41] reported that symptoms of organic
mercury poisoning may occasionally simulate those of inorganic and
elemental mercury poisoning, and conversely, cases of elemental
mercury poisoning may rarely manifest signs and symptoms usually
attributed to organic mercury. In tabulating the signs and symptoms
in 87 cases of organic mercury poisoning reporting in the literature
since 1940, these authors found considerable overlap between signs
and symptoms of mercury toxicity from organic mercury compounds and
those usually associated with toxicity from inorganic compounds.”
On a personal note, I
would like to thank each one of the researchers who refuse to
compromise the truth even in the face of criticism and shrinking
research funds. Through their endeavors, the awful truth about the
dangers of Thimerosal will be exposed and history will note their
roles. Just as time vindicated Dr. Irving J. Selikof and his work,
exposing the true dangers of asbestos, it is only a matter of time
before the same is said of these researchers. Their unwavering
dedication to the art and science of medicine rather than the
“business” of medicine is a beacon of light and hope to a millions
of children and their weary parents. We have lost 1 in 6 of these
precious children to this dreadful product, with the
help of great scientists, we are determined not to lose another.
Like the eloquent quote by Albert
Einstein suggests...the great scientists are those with character.
May God
Bless Them.
Lujene
Clark
References
[16] Bidstrup
PL: Toxicity of mercury and its compounds. New York, American
Elsevier Publishing Company, 1964
[23] Clarkson TW: The pharmacology of mercury compounds, in Elliott
HW (ed.): Annual Review of Pharmacology. Palo Alto, Annual Reviews
Inc., 1972, vol 12, pp 375-406
[24] Clarkson TW: Recent advances in the toxicology of mercury with
emphasis on the alkylmercurials. CRC Crit Rev Toxicol 1:203-34, 1972
[32] Joselow MW, Louria DB, Browder AA: Mercurialism: Environmental
and occupational aspects. Ann Int Med 76:119-30, 1972
[35] Hunter D: The Diseases of Occupations, ed 4. Boston, Little,
Brown & Co, 1969, pp 288-332
[36] Hunter D, Bomford RR, Russell DS: Poisoning by methyl mercury
compounds. Q J Med 33:193-206, 1940
[41] Kark RAP, Poskanzer DC, Bullock JD, Boylen G: Mercury poisoning
and its treatment with n-acetyl-d, l-penicillamine. N Engl J Med
285:10-16, 1971
[116}
Copplestone JF, McArthur DA: An inorganic mercury hazard in the
manufacture of artificial jewelry. Br J Ind Med 24:77-80, 1967
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National Institute of Occupational Safety &
Health