DDT

DDT stands for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, this is an inorganic insecticide that was projected as a harmless and incredible agent in eliminating the spread of disease through insects. DDT was used unsparingly from World War II on through the sixties, in WWII the insecticide was used to control the spread of malaria and typhus amongst troops and civilians, following the war DDT was made available to the public for the use as an agricultural insecticide, making the production and application of DDT increase even more. In 1972 the US government passed a law banning the use of DDT in agriculture, and was soon followed by a worldwide ban. However, the use of DDT in diseased areas, such as certain parts of Africa, is still allowed however the use of DDT even for this purpose is still highly controversial amongst many groups. The use of DDT reached its peak in the fifties, when men, women, and children were practically submerged in DDT in order to rid their neighborhoods and homes of mosquitos and other pests. DDT's demise was caused by a woman by the name of Rachel Carson who wrote the famous book Silent Spring which highlighted the impacts of widespread application of DDT. In Silent Spring Carson questioned how smart it was of the US government to blindly spray DDT without knowing the possible biological affects the chemicals would have on our environment and the lives of the animals who take in the chemicals, as well as human health. This book ignited the American people and in their anger forced the US government to change their ways and eventually eliminate the application of DDT in the United States.