DDT, Silent spring, and the rise of environmentalism: classic texts

169 Pages·2009·1.203 MB·English

by  Dunlap, Thomas R.;Carson, Rachel

weyerhaeuser environmental classics
william cronon, editor
Weyerhaeuser Environmental Classics are reprinted editions ofkey works
that explore human relationships with natural environments in all their
variety and complexity.Drawn from many disciplines,they examine how
natural systems affect human communities,how people affect the environ-
ments ofwhich they are a part,and how different cultural conceptions of
nature powerfully shape our sense ofthe world around us.These are books
about the environment that continue to offer profound insights about the
human place in nature.
The Great Columbia Plain: A Historical Geography,1805–1910
by D.W.Meinig
Mountain Gloom and Mountain Glory: The Development ofthe Aesthetics
ofthe Infiniteby Marjorie Hope Nicolson
Tutira: The Story ofa New Zealand Sheep Stationby Herbert Guthrie-Smith
A Symbol ofWilderness: Echo Park and the American Conservation Movement
by Mark Harvey
Man and Nature: Or,Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action
by George Perkins Marsh;edited and annotated by David Lowenthal
Conservation in the Progressive Era: Classic Textsedited by David Stradling
DDT,Silent Spring,and the Rise ofEnvironmentalism: Classic Texts
edited by Thomas R.Dunlap
Weyerhaeuser Environmental Classics is a subseries within Weyerhaeuser
Environmental Books,under the general editorship ofWilliam Cronon.
A complete listing ofthe series appears at the end ofthis book.
DDT, SILENT SPRING, AND
THE RISE OF ENVIRONMENTALISM
classic texts
edited by THOMAS R. DUNLAP
foreword by william cronon
university of washington press
seattle and london
DDT,Silent Spring,and the Rise ofEnvironmentalism:Classic Texts
is published with the assistance ofa grant from the Weyerhaeuser Environmental
Books Endowment,established by the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation,
members ofthe Weyerhaeuser family,and Janet and Jack Creighton.
©2008by the University ofWashington Press
Printed in United States ofAmerica
Designed by Pamela Canell
14 13 12 11 10 09 5 4 3 2 1
All rights reserved.No part ofthis publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic or mechanical,
including photocopy,recording,or any information storage or retrieval
system,without permission in writing from the publisher.
University ofWashington Press,PO Box 50096,Seattle,WA 98145
www.washington.edu/uwpress
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
DDT,Silent Spring,and the rise ofenvironmentalism :classic texts /
edited by Thomas R.Dunlap ;foreword by William Cronon.
p.cm.— (Weyerhaeuser environmental classics)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn978-0-295-98834-4(pbk.:alk.paper)
1. DDT (Insecticide)—Environmental aspects—History—20th century.
2. Environmentalism—History—20th century.
3. Nature—Effects ofhuman beings on—History—20th century.
4. Carson,Rachel,1907–1964.Silent spring. I. Dunlap,Thomas R.,1943–
td196.p38d45 2009 363.17(cid:2)92—dc22 2008020044
The paper used in this publication is acid-free and 90percent recycled from
at least 50percent post-consumer waste.It meets the minimum requirements
ofAmerican National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of
Paper for Printed Library Materials,ansiz39.48–1984.ø
Contents
Foreword by William Cronon ix
Preface and Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 3
part 1 BACKGROUND
Views ofNature
1 Stephen A.Forbes,“The Ecological Foundations ofApplied
Entomology” 15
2 Leland O.Howard,“The War against Insects” 20
Pre-DDT Pesticides and DDT’s Use in World War II
3 Paul Neal et al.,“A Study ofthe Effects ofLead Arsenate
Exposure on Orchardists and Consumers ofSprayed Fruit”24
4 Paul Neal et al.,“Toxicity and Potential Dangers of
Aerosols,Mists,and Dusting Powders Containing DDT” 26
part 2 DDT’S BRIGHT PROMISE AND NEGLECTED
PROBLEMS (1942–1958)
DDTas Miracle Chemical
5 Brigadier General James Stevens Simmons,“How Magic
is DDT?” 31
6 “Aerosol Insecticides” 39
7 Clay Lyle,“Achievements and Possibilities in Pest
Eradication” 44
Early Warnings
8 Paul B.Dunbar,“The Food and Drug Administration Looks
at Insecticides” 51
9 Clarence Cottam and Elmer Higgins,“DDTand Its Effect
on Fish and Wildlife” 58
part 3 RISING CONCERN ABOUT NEW PROBLEMS
DDT,Food Chains,and Wildlife
10 Roy J.Barker,“Notes on Some Ecological Effects ofDDT
Sprayed on Elms” 65
11 Editorial from Bird Study 68
12 Derek A.Ratcliffe,“The Status ofthe Peregrine
in Great Britain” 70
13 Robert Rudd,Pesticides and the Living Landscape 75
14 Thomas R.Dunlap,Interview with Joseph J.Hickey 80
15 Robert S.Strother,“Backfire in the War against Insects” 85
part 4 THE STORM OVER SILENT SPRING
Public Alarm
16 Morton Mintz,“‘Heroine’ofFDAKeeps Bad Drug
OffMarket” 94
17 Rachel Carson,“A Fable for Tomorrow” 102
Reactions
18 President’s Science Advisory Committee,Use ofPesticides 104
19 Robert H.White-Stevens,“Communications Create
Understanding” 109
20 Edwin Diamond,“The Myth ofthe ‘Pesticide Menace’” 115
21 Robert Gillette,“DDT:Its Days are Numbered,Except
Perhaps in Pepper Fields” 121
part 5 DDT AND MALARIA
22 Thomas Sowell,“Intended Consequences” 127
23 Thomas R.Hawkins,“Rereading Silent Spring” 130
24 May Berenbaum,“IfMalaria’s the Problem,DDT’s Not
the Only Answer” 136
Notes on Further Reading 141
Credits 145
Index 147
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Foreword
silent spring and the birth of modern
environmentalism
william cronon
It may be an oversimplification to say that the modern environmental
movement began with Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring,but it is hard to
overstate that book’s impact.Prior to its publication in 1962,various
environmental concerns were becoming more prominent in the years fol-
lowing World War II. Air and water pollution, radioactive fallout, toxic
exposures,overpopulation,loss ofwild lands,resource scarcities,suburban
sprawl:all ofthese were gaining new public attention by the early 1960s,and
all would become part ofthe new movement over the course ofthe decade.
But Silent Springwas a lightning rod like no other.Gaining visibility first as
a series ofarticles in the New Yorkerand then as a best-selling book,it cat-
apulted its author—whose earlier writings about the sea had been enor-
mously popular but not at all controversial—into a political firestorm.Car-
son’s indictment of DDT and other insecticides brought heated rebuttals
from chemical companies that manufactured these products, from gov-
ernment agencies that promoted their use,and from scientists who believed
that their benefits far outweighed their harms.Supportingher were doctors
concerned about the medical and genetic consequences oftoxic exposure,
biologists who feared the impact ofpesticides on wildlife populations,and
parents worried about possible harm to their children.Carson was called
before a Senate committee to testify about the book,and President John F.
Kennedy was asked about it by the press. CBS News produced a widely
ix