Re: Book: Body Toxic - An Environmental Memoir

[Paul William Shafer <paulwilliam_s@YAHOO.COM>]

Dear Mr. Nicholls:



How about all of the toxic chemicals that were emitted

into the air and water as Susanne was growing up in

Ocean County, NJ plus the unknown street chemicals she

used in her body?  They could have led to the "health

problems" that she describes much more readily than 

the Xe and Kr etc. emitted from the Oyster Creek NPS.

How come she did not have any thyroid problems?  Since

Oyster Creek had fuel problems and did not always have

an augmented offgas system (I-133/I-131 retention) I

would have expected thyroid problems first. Any Sr-90

was from atmospheric bomb testing. Did she ever have

an in-vivo analysis from gamma emitting radionuclides?

Did she ever have any tissue samples analyzed for

various organic chemicals?



Paul W. Shafer

--- Gerald Nicholls <GNICHOLL@DEP.STATE.NJ.US> wrote:

> Anyone still interested in why the general public

> refuses to understand the science behind

> environmental policy might want to look at the book

> review of the Body Toxic - An Environmental Memoir

> by Michael Pollan in the 6/24/01 Times book review

> section (under the heading "Poison").  The book, by

> Susanne Antonetta, is a memoir of her growing up in

> Ocean County, NJ (she was born in Georgia).   Ms.

> Antonetta apparently believes her myriad health

> problems are due to exposure to toxic substances

> from the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station and

> various contaminated sites (3 of which are now

> Superfund Sites).  It is much easier for the general

> reader to be seduced into believing Ms. Antonetta's

> claims rather than attempting to understand the

> scientific and public health issues involved.

> 

> Ms. Antonetta's reported health problems include

> "...a spectacular multiple pregnancy, a miscarriage,

> a radiation induced tumor, a double uterus, asthma,

> endometriosis, growths on the liver.."   Other

> problems mentioned are that she "... is a manic

> depressive who has been treated with lithium, has a

> seizure disorder and is a recovered drug addict."

> 

> A couple of interesting quotes from the review are:

> "A nuclear plant five miles from her bungalow left

> the waters of Oyster Creek 'jazzed with radioactive

> particles.'" and, "Under a geiger counter, Ocean

> County baby teeth 'twitch with picocuries of

> strontium 90.'"

> 

> The review is available at

>

www.nytimes.com/books/01/06/24/reviews/010624.24pollant.html

> 

> 

> 

> 

> Gerald P. Nicholls

> NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection

> 609-633-7964

> gnicholl@dep.state.nj.us

> 

>

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