Closing our eyes to common sense

To the editor:

In response to "Gene flaw may link autism, vaccine additive": The By Dr. Jill James strongly supports the concept that the mercury containing preservative, thimerosal, is a major cause for the autism epidemic. A group of physicians and researchers known as DAN! (Defeat Autism Now) has found other evidence that the underlying mechanisms are related to damaged sulfur metabolism. This includes the synthesis in the body of glutathione and its vital part in biochemistry.

This epidemic is eerily reminiscent of the lethal condition known as Pink Disease that was killing infants in the middle of the 20th century. It was a very long time before this mysterious disease of unknown cause was found to be due to the use of mercury-containing teething powders used by physicians at that time. It is difficult to believe that such an awful history can repeat itself in a different form in the space of a few short years.

As long as we emphasize the commercial aspect over the humanitarian, we inevitably close our eyes to common sense. Mercury has long been known to produce dangerous toxicity to the nervous system, a phenomenon that was underlined by Lewis Carrol in his portrayal of the Mad Hatter. Carrol knew that hatters used mercury in the construction of hats at that time. We see exactly the same kind of refusal to recognize the danger of so-called silver dental fillings that contain a high percentage of mercury. Perhaps the term Homo sapiens should be replaced by Homo stupidus.

DERRICK LONSDALE M.D., Westlake, Ohio