Word: botulin
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1970-1979
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...awesome properties. On the plus side, fast-breeder nuclear reactors, which are generally fueled with plutonium and U-238, can not only generate electricity but also produce more plutonium fuel than they consume. On the other hand, plutonium, even in tiny quantities, is searingly radioactive and ranks with botulin toxin as one of the world's most poisonous substances. Moreover, with as little as 12 Ibs. of plutonium, the right equipment and expertise in handling the stuff, almost any government-or terrorist outfit-could make a nuclear bomb...
Preventable Poison. Botulism, however, need not be fatal if diagnosed in time and treated promptly. Supplies of antitoxin against the three main types of botulin poisoning known to affect humans are stockpiled at the U.S. Public Health Service's Center for Disease Control in Atlanta. Authorities warn that the antitoxin should be administered only after certain diagnosis since panicky patients who are suffering from other forms of food poisoning can have dangerous or even fatal reactions to it. They add that botulism need not be contracted at all. Because bringing food to a boil destroys the odorless and usually...