Table 2-1.--Human Neurotoxic Exposures
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Year(s) Location Substance Comments
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370 B.C...... Greece...... Lead...... Lead toxicity
recognized in
mining industry.
1st century A.D. Rome...... Lead...... Vapors recognized
as toxic.
1837...... Scotland...... Manganese...... Chronic manganese
poisoning
described.
1924...... United States Tetraethyl lead Workers suffer
(New Jersey). neurologic
symptoms.
1930...... United States Tri-o- Chemical
(Southeast). Cresylphosphate contaminant added
(TOCP). to Ginger Jake, an
alcoholic beverage
substitute; more
than 5,000
paralyzed, 20,000
to 100,000
affected.
1930's...... Europe...... Apiol...... Drug containing
TOCP causes 60
cases of
neuropathy.
1932...... United States Thallium...... Contaminated barley
(California). laced with
thallium sulfate
poisons family,
causing neurologic
symptoms.
1937...... South Africa... TOCP...... Paralysis develops
after use of
contaminated
cooking oil.
1946...... England...... Tetraethyl lead Neurologic effects
observed in people
cleaning gasoline
tanks.
1950's...... Japan (Mina-... Methylmercury.. Fish and shellfish
mata)...... contaminated with
mercury are
ingested, causing
neurotoxicity.
1950's...... France...... Organotin...... Medication
(Stalinon)
containing
diethyltin
diiodide results
in poisoning.
1950's...... Morocco...... Manganese...... Miners suffer
chronic manganese
intoxication.
1950's...... Guam...... Cycad...... Ingestion of plants
associated with
amylotrophic
lateral sclerosis
and Parkinson-like
syndrome.
1956...... Turkey...... Hexachlorobenzene Hexachlorobenzene
causes poisoning.
1956...... Japan...... Clioquinol..... Drug causes
neuropathy.
1959...... Morocco...... TOCP...... Cooking oil
contaminated with
lubricating oil
causes poisoning.
1960...... Iraq...... Methylmercury.. Mercury-treated
seed grain causes
neurotoxicity.
1964...... Japan...... Methylmercury.. Methylmercury
neurotoxicity.
1968...... Japan...... PCBs...... Polychlorinated
biphenyls are
leaked into rice
oil, causing
neurotoxicity.
1969...... Japan...... n-Hexane...... Neuropathy due to
n-hexane exposure.
1969...... United States Methylmercury.. Fungicide-treated
(New Mexico). grain results in
alkyl mercury
poisoning.
1971...... United States.. Hexachlorophene Hexachlorophene-
containing
disinfectant is
found to be toxic
to nervous system.
1971...... Iraq...... Methylmercury.. Methylmercury used
as fungicide to
treat seed grain
causes poisoning.
1972...... France...... Hexachlorophene Hexachlorophene
poisoning of
children.
1973...... United States Methyl n- Fabric production
(Ohio). butylketone. plant employees
exposed to MnBK
solvent suffer
polyneuropathy.
1974-1975...... United States Chlordecone Chemical plant
(Virginia). (Kepone). employees exposed
to insecticide
suffer severe
neurologic
problems.
1976...... United States Leptophos At least nine
(Texas). (Phosvel). employees suffer
serious neurologic
problems after
exposure to
insecticide.
1977...... United States Dichloropropene People hospitalized
(California). (Telone II). after exposure to
pesticide.
1979-1980...... United States 2-t-Butylazo-2- Employees of
(Texas). hydroxy-5- manufacturing
methylhexane plant experience
(BHMH) (Lucel- serious neurologic
7). problems.
1980's...... United States.. Methylphenyltet Impurity in
rahydropyridin synthesis of
e (MPTP). illicit drug
causes Parkinson's
disease-
like effects.
1981...... Spain...... Toxic oil...... People ingesting
toxic substance in
oil suffer severe
neuropathy.
1983-84...... United States.. Vitamin B6..... Excessive intake,
causes sensory
neuropathy,
numbness,
parathesia, and
motor dysfunction.
1985...... United States Aldicarb...... People experience
and Canada. neuromuscular
deficits after
ingestion of
contaminated
melons.
1987...... Canada...... Domoic acid.... Ingestion of
mussels
contaminated with
domoic acid causes
illnesses.
1988...... India...... TOCP...... Ingestion of
adulterated
rapeseed oil cause
polyneuritis.
1989...... United States.. L-tryptophan- Ingestion of a
containing chemical
products. contaminant
associated with
the manufacture of
L-tryptophan
results in
eosinophilia-
myalgia syndrome.
1991...... Nigeria...... Scopoletin..... Natural component
of gari caused
neuropathy
associated with
optic atrophy and
ataxia.
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