The story of DDT and Malaria (History Essay) Essay - 1

The study of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and Malaria (History ) - Essay ExampleAt the end of World War II the technological advancements that were a product of the war began to filter into the commercial economy. The growing demand for food brought about the need for chemicals to grow, preserve, and piece of land food products as agriculture moved from the family farm and into large-scale operations. This era witnessed the introduction of DDT at a time when its long-term effects were unknown, and in 1950 the US Ho uptake of Representatives opened hearings to investigate the use of chemicals and additives to food products.3 In 1962 Rachel Carson wrote her landmark book Silent Spring, which brought about public scrutiny in regards to the refuge of the fertilizer, insecticide, and pesticide programs that were being used in domestic agriculture. Since that time the US has escalated their drive to monitor the use of chemicals in the food chain and have maintained a policy of the ev aluation and licensing the use of hazardous chemicals with the stopping point of creating safer consumer products. While this policy has brought thousands of products under the scrutiny of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), DDT was one of the starting line and most visible victims of this program.During the 1950s the World Health Organization (WHO) pursued a policy of far-flung use of DDT in Asia, Latin America, and Africa in an effort to eliminate the mosquitoes that transmitted the deadly sickness of malaria. By 1971 the WHO estimated that as many as 1 billion people had been freed from the risk on assure malaria.4 However, there were dangers lurking in the shadows of this success. Because there was a chance of the insects building up a resistance to DDT over time, it was necessary to spray the infected areas on a regular and diligent schedule. In addition, the WHO failed to compute for several variables that worked against the program. Local bureaucratic governments failed to spray regularly, infected individuals imported the disease,