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Quick Silver: The Side Effects of Mercury in Vaccines & Fish
by Hwaa Irfan 04/07/2001
"O you who believe! Most surely many of the doctors of law and the monks eat away the property of men falsely, and turn (then) from Allah's way; and (as for) those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah's' way, announce to them a painful chastisement" (Surat al Baraat, 9:34).
Muslim scholar, al-Biruni, cited this verse in his Kitab al-Jamahir, as proof that man does not have the right to exploit other kingdoms for his own desires, which are insatiable, but may use them only in conformity with the law of God and in His way. Mercury is part of that kingdom (Nasr, p.148).
The chief mineral source of mercury is cinnabar - HgS- but, mercury sometimes occurs in nature as a free metal. Its' alloys with other metals (amalgams) are used in dentistry for cavities and as drugs, chemicals, mercury-vapor lamps, power-control switches, barometers and thermometers. However, in this alloy form, it has a cumulative poisoning effect that can contaminate food chains. The World Health Organizations' (WHO) 'safe' limit for mercury is 0.5mg per kilogram of muscle tissue (Hutchinson, p.371). Currently WHO has launched as investigation into the possible link between vaccines that contain mercury and the rise of autism among children in Britain. There have also been a number of studies done on the mercury levels in fish and various childhood diseases.
There are three types of mercury: elemental, which is vapor-producing and easily inhaled or passed through the skin into the bloodstream; inorganic, which can be absorbed through the stomach if ingested; and organic, which enters the body easily through the lungs, skin and stomach.
Inorganic mercury can cause nausea, vomiting and severe kidney damage. Poisoning can cause gum problems, mood and mental changes (NJSDH, p.1). Research has confirmed that low doses of the organic compound- methylmercury, can cause irreversible damage to the developing nervous system, including: mental retardation, seizure disorders, cerebral palsy, blindness and deafness (Applesforhealth, p.1). Levels of methylmercury in fish are 100,000 times higher than in the surrounding waters in which they swim (Stapleton, p.1).
In 2000, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warned pregnant women against exposing themselves to mercury. This warning included instructions not to eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish because they could contain enough mercury to harm an unborn baby's developing brain (Giulaino, p.1). According to FDA toxicologist Mike Bolger, about 2,700 - 6,000 tons of mercury are released annually into the atmosphere by natural degassing from the Earth's crust and oceans. Another 2,000 - 3,000 tons are released annually by human activities like burning household and industrial wastes or coal burning. Mercury vapor is then easily transported in the atmosphere (FDA Consumer, p.1). Rain carries it from the land into the rivers, lakes and oceans where it lodges into the bodies of simple organisms like plankton (Giuliano, p.2). Mercury is found in fish around the world, however, particularly high concentrations are found in San Francisco Bay, the Great Lakes region, some Northeastern states and the Florida Everglades. An estimated 60,000 babies are in danger of learning disabilities and other neurological damage in the U.S. because their mothers have ingested mercury contaminated fish during pregnancy (Cone, p.1).
A study conducted by Antonio Barbosa, a chemist from the University of Brasilia, confirmed that new-born Kayapo' Indian children suffer from high levels of mercury poisoning (Minamata disease) due to the heavy use of mercury by gold miners in the Amazon. Barbosas' study showed that mercury levels in kayapo' women would drop significantly during pregnancy as the mercury was transferred from mother to the fetus. The poisoning is furthermore heightened during breast-feeding. Tests showed 14.5ppm (parts per million) of mercury at the beginning of pregnancy, 9.5ppm in the 3rd month, 6ppm on the 6th, 7.3ppm after delivery and 15ppm three months later (Cimi, p.1).
One example of a child with mercury poisoning is Egyptian Ahmed Hadidi. He appeared to be a normal 5-year-old, but closer observation showed he did not make eye contact and had a certain aloofness that was unusual in a child. His mother thought that he was just having behavioral problems that would disappear over time. Instead, Ahmed became more unresponsive, unsociable and repetitive in his actions and speech. She found out later that Ahmad had autism.
Autism is a developmental disability that is four times more prevalent in boys than girls. Normal as a baby, their development progresses at a steady rate and then it seems to stop. An autistic child may be passive or demanding. As infants they rock when highly agitated, and feel no pain when they bang their heads. If diagnosed early, employed multidisciplinary techniques can modify behavior (Das, p. 19,20,22). However, much is unknown and drug therapies have proved unsuccessful.
The WHO's research is led by Dr. Elizabeth Miller - head of immunization division of the UK's Public Health Laboratory Service, which aims to analyze the records of 500 general practices to check for the link between the use of vaccines that contain the preservative 'thiomersalý' (thimersal), which contains 50% mercury and has been used for many years (Reuters, p.1). Fish and other sources of mercury poisoning are also being examined.
We are intrinsically a part of the environment that Allah (swt) gave to support our needs. Maybe one day, we will realize that everything has a place within which we can achieve much, but only through balance. Only then will we begin to heal - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Sources
Applesforhealth. "Fetuses at Risk of Mercury Poisoning." Applesforhealth. 7/14/00.
Cimi. "Kayapo' Children & Mercury Pollution." Indianist Missionary Council. 10/28/94.
Cone, Maria. "Fish-Mercury Danger to Fetuses Affirmed." The Seattle Times. Health & Science.01/20/01.
Das, Anjana. "In A World of Their Own: Children with Autism." Egyptian Medical Magazine.
1(2001)18-22.
FDA Consumer. "Mercury In Fish: Cause for Concern?" Food & Drugs Administration. 01/20/01.
Giuliano, Jackie, A. "Fish: A Good Neighbor, but A Dangerous Food." Environmental News Service.
Hutchinson. "Dictionary of Science." Britain: Helicon Publishing Ltd. 1994.
Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. "Islamic Cosmological Doctrines." Britain: Thames & Hudson. 1978.
New Jersey State Dept. of Health. "The
Health Effects of Mercury." New Jersey State Dept. of Health.
Reuters. "WHO Probes Health Effects of Vaccines Containing Mercury." Reuters Health. 6/6/01.
Stapleton, Richard. "Mercury Poisoning." State Dept. of Florida. Human Health.
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