ABSTRACT
DDT was a runaway success when introduced after World War II. The most influential factor was the publication of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring in 1962. This claimed that indiscriminate use of DDT was causing damage and in particular threatening wildlife, notably certain birds. There were also suggestions that it was a carcinogen. Environmental scientists claim that the banning of DDT is one of the main reasons that brought the symbol of the United States, the bald eagle, back from the brink of extinction in the United States. In 1948, Ceylon was faced with over 2 million cases of malaria a year, so a campaign began to eradicate malaria by spraying houses with DDT. DDT is reckoned to have saved more than 25 million lives, so it makes sense to use it responsibly. In fact, DDT is relatively non-toxic to ordinary honey bees.
