In fairness to China, ethylene glycol isn't too toxic. Antifreeze has been used before today as, for God'- sake, a sweetener in wine. Totally illegally and criminally, but that's the rumour I have heard [decades ago].
Methylated spirits is also toxic, but I have soaked my skin in it to kill germs and as a child "toughen it" so I didn't get blisters [stupid, but true - that's what I was told it would do].
Not to mention "Mercurochrome" and "Golden Eye Ointment" containing mercury at lethal amounts as an antibiotic for skin and eyes. Of course, in eyes, it was going into the back of my throat down the eye drains and was swallowed, doing neurological and other damage.
If you want toxic, try nitrites in bacon.
We [in the oil industry] banned nitrites in cutting oils because the oil mist was inhaled by people in machine shops and there were also amines around, so people would get nitrosamines form in their stomachs and die.
Nitrites in bacon [and other foods] do the same job. One just needs to get some amines and hey presto, same effect. A study looking at correlation of bacon consumption and other nitrite-preserved meats with stomach cancer and colon cancer will show a good relationship. There are lots of other causes too, so the study would need to be fairly robust to find the effect in the noise.
A bit of ethylene glycol in toothpaste isn't a big deal. I don't like the list of "safe" stuff in toothpaste anyway, so am minimalist with it.
Mqurice |
