Science for the People Magazine Vol. 12, No. 5

BIODCHNOLOGY BECOMES BIG BUSINESS 1\UfA'-.., lJHlr ('C) .$ r~ r.t:i df ~MW.: h.\ ~ 11l\M~ to bring to your attention another group of pesticides whose danger is just letters beginning to be recognized. The studies which I summarize further emphasize and support a number of important points about the danger of these com pounds brought out in your article. Dear SftP: reality in separating civil disobedience It is well known that the effect pro I found much to agree with in your and elections. If by "lack of reality" he duced by a toxic chemical depends upon "Prospects and Problems" (July/ Aug.; means that this separation is strate a) the dose, b) the length of exposure, 1980) article on the antinuclear move gically and tactically incorrect, then I and c) the route of administration of the ment. I share a real concern that the certain!}' agree. If, however. he means toxic substance. This i~ important in movement I belong to - the pacifist that a split does not exist in the move view of the fact that the petrochemical movement - often uses civil disobed ment her ween tho.5e participating in di industry is getting increasingly involved ience and direct action in a "reflexive" rect action and those emphasizing in studying toxicology. However, their way, that consensus can become anti "legalistic" activities. then /think he is focus is on acute and subacute toxicol democratic, anarchism is often an irres engaging in jamasy. Certainly there are ogy. The chronic effects due to long term ponsible evasion of problems of power, many groups and individuals. such as exposure are more relevant to worker and a big chunk of the no-nukes move McReynolds himself, that are active on safety and to the public at large, but are ment is a middle class white youth group hoth sides. But the Coalition for Direct rarely investigated by these industries. unaware of day to day problems of both Action at Seabrook does not have the Chronic exposure to a dose of a chemi white and black workers. same position as the Naderites. Further cal which produces no noticeable im What worries me is that efforts to· arti more. as the movement has developed. mediate effects most often produces dis ficially separate the weapons and power this split has become deeper. turbances which are totally unrelated to issues (I think Barry Commoner does McReynolds argues for heing the acute effects. this, and certainly Nader has done this) cautious with the direction taken hy the Insecticides are compounds which ir reflect corporate decisions. I further Nader/ Hayden forces. not because it is reversibly inhibit the functioning of the suggest there is a lack of reality in elect oral. hut because it is not towards enzyme, acetylcholinesterase. When a separating civil disobedience and elec serious structural change. First. no nerve excites a muscle it does so by re tions - it is not "either or" but "now where do I criticize electoral activity. leasing the chemical acetylcholine which and then" or "both this and also that". Second. what does McReynolds mean causes the muscle to contract. In order The problem with Americans is we hy "towards serious structural change"? to stop the excitation, the enzyme acetyl aren't a very flexible people, not really If he means that these forces are not de cholinesterase, which metabolizes ace nearly as pragmatic as we keep telling manding a transition to socialism. then tylcholine to a relatively inactive pro ourselves we are. I suggest you need to the same criticism could he made of duct, is present at the muscle. If the have some real caution with the direc every reform struggle. including the enzyme is poisoned by an insecticide, tion the Nader/Hayden folks are taking, anti-nuclear movement. A main purpose acetylcholine will continue to excite the not because it is electoral, but because it of my article was to give this phrase muscle producing a number of acute ef is not to ward serious structural change. some contelll. i.e .. ·to argue "towards fects in the organism such as muscle David McReynolds serious structural change" meant "rais spasms and fasciculations along with McReynolds/ Drufenhrock ing the cla.u-consciou.me.u of the parti sweating and salivation. Immediate Campaign Commillee cipants ... and to discuss to what extent death results from respiratory paralysis. 339 Lafayel/e St. this was occurring within the anti If the dose is low enough so that death New York. N.Y. 10012 nuclear movement. The anti-monopoly does not immediately result, the body movement should be analyzed in the will synthesize new acetylcholineste~ase. same way. Author's Response: Joe Shapiro It is obvious from this discussion that To some extent. David McReynolds New York, N.Y. any long term consequences of repeated has misread mr article. He is worried exposure to low doses of the insecticides ahout e_fforts t1~ separate artificially the cannot be attributed to acetylcholine weapons and power issues. Yet on p. IN Dear SftP: sterase inhibition. I state - .. The state has played a major I am a graduate student in Pharma The phenylphosphonothioate insecti role in the development of nuclear cology at the College of Medicine and cides have been shown to produce a de power. because of the close relationship Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark layed neurotoxicity in hens (I). One of between reactors and nuclear weapons." studying the effects of toxic substances these compounds, Leptophos, is widely Again. on p. 20- "historically. there on the nervous system. I found your ar used today. The risk of exposure to has heen. and still is. a large pacijistten ticle entitled "The Pesticide Connec people is both dangerous and real. In a dencr within the movement .... This tion" by Paul Barnett (July/ August factory in which this chemical is manu hist1;n. accoun/.1', to a large extent. for 1980) to be an excellent appraisal of the factured and packaged, workers were the ~ontinued emphasis on nuclear disturbing tendency of researchers in weapons as well as reactors." academic institutions to maintain a Me Reynolds suggests there is a lack o/ close association with industry. I wish (continued on page 37) 2 Science for the People September I October 1980 Vol.12 No.5 BIOTECHNOLOGY BECOMES BIG BUSINESS 5 byKathyYih Double helix promises double profits. FEATURES: SOWING TilE SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION 8 by Cary Fowler Patenting of seeds by corporations may endanger food production. PERSPECTIVES ON BIOTECHNOLOGY 11 POWERLINE ASSAULTS TilE PRAIRIE 19 by Alice Tripp Midwest farmers organize to protect land from utilities. EPOXY BOYCOIT IN DENMARK 23 by Janine Morgall Workers demand pnority on safety. DUMPING FOR DOLLARS 27 by Christopher McLeod U.S. corporations plan expon of toxic wastes to Third World. VIE1NAM WAR LEGACY 29 by Scott Thacher Veterans and their children suffer health effects of agent orange. DEPARTMENTS: Letters 2 News Notes 36 About This Issue 4 Resources 38 Science for the People magazine is published 1980 by Science jor the People. Production Committee: Beth Cookson, Ross bimonthly by Science Resource Center, Inc .. Subscription rates (for one year /six issues): Feldberg, Jim Flowers, Alan Frolich, Jeanne a non-profit corporation. The magazine is ed $9 (regular). $13 (foreign surface mail: .for a1r Gallo, Terri Goldberg, Diane Lande, Bob ited and produced by the national organiLa mail add $4 to Latin America and Europe, $6 Lange, Bernard Metzger, Connie Phillips, tion Science for the People. Our address is to Asia and Africa), $20 (institutionsjlib Virginia Schaefer, Josh Standig, Scott 897 Main St., Cam bridge, M A 02139. Phone ranes), $20 or whatever you can afford (mem Thacher, Ray Valdes. Editorial Committee: (617) 547-0370. We offer a progressive and ber subscribers). Member subscribers receive Beth Cookson, Tony larrobino, Terri radical view of science and technology, cover the magazine plus our internal newsletter and Goldberg, Bernard Metzger, Connie Phillips, ing a broad range of issues. We welcome con other internal communications. Bookstores Martha Robb, Virginia Schaefer, Midwest tributions of all kinds: articles, letters. book may order on consignment directly from Sci Editorial Committee. Artists: Ellen Arm reviews. artwork. cartoons. news notes. If ence for the People. The magazine is available strong, Steve Karian. Distribution Com possible. please type manuscripts (double on microfilm from Xerox Microfilms, 300 mittee: Computer Group, Connie Phillips, spaced) and send three copies. Be sure to keep North Zeeb Rd .. Ann Arbor. Ml48109. Ray Valdes. Staff Jeanne Gallo, Terri Sc1ence for the People is indexed in one copy for yourself. Unless otherwise stat Allernatire Press Index, P.O. Box 722. Goldberg. ed. all material in this magazine is copyright Baltimore, MD 21218. September/October 1980 3 about this issue Major U.S. corporations are spending billions of dangerous microorganism would probably be impos dollars on biotechnology: gene splicing and reproduc sible. Generations of children will continue to pay a tive technologies. On June 6, 1980, the Supreme Court high price for today's mishandling of toxic materials; we gave these companies the right to patent their products. must prevent the same abuse of genetic engineering. The court's approval of General Electric's request to pa Agent Orange is an herbicide; it was used in the tent a strain of oil-eating bacteria will encourage cor Vietman War to defoliate forests. Its health effects are porate investment in genetic engineering. How corpora being felt by Vietnamese and American veterans, and tions use genetic engineering to further their interests their children. Scott Thacher explores the current con will influence the future of all of us. troversy surrounding the long-term health effects of the In this issue of SftP, we have brought together a chemical.

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