August 29, 2000
Government & Medical Mad Hatters?
Nicor Gas Company has alarmed the Chicago area by reporting accidental mercury spills that occurred when subcontractors were hired to move gas meters from inside the home to the outside. As many as 200,000 homes may be involved. The Illinois Department of Public Health's website (www.idph.state.il.us/) classifies the exposure of people or animals to mercury as dangerous. The website states…

• "Children are more susceptible to mercury poisoning than adults. Exposure to even small amounts of mercury over a long period may cause negative health effects including damage to the brain, kidney, lungs, and the developing fetus. Brief contact with high levels of mercury can cause immediate health effects including loss of appetite, fatigue, insomnia, and changes in behavior or personality. Depending on the length or degree of exposure, additional symptoms such as nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, eye irritation, weight loss, skin rashes, and muscle tremors may occur. When exposure to mercury stops, most symptoms usually go away; however, effects on the brain and nervous system may be permanent (Editor's emphasis). Once mercury has entered the body, it can take months before it is eliminated, mainly through the urine and feces."

Atty. Gen. Ryan has convened a task force to move quickly on the issues involved in the spilled mercury. But if the Atty. General and the Illinois Department of Health feel the public is threatened by mercury, why are they UNCONCERNED with the mercury being injected into our children via vaccines since the 1930's?

The vaccine ingredient thimerosal is 49.6% mercury. The FDA banned thimerosal from over-the-counter drugs in 1998 citing it as neither safe nor effective. The manufacturer of vaccines' thimerosal states that to the best of their knowledge, the chemical, physical and toxicological properties have not been thoroughly investigated. Yet medical and public health officials recommend continued use of mercury containing vaccines until mercury is removed or reduced. They believe the benefits of receiving the scheduled vaccines on time outweigh the risks of mercury-containing vaccines. Are we in the midst of government and medical mad hatters? (The phrase "mad as a hatter" originates from hatters using mercury to make felt more pliable in hat construction. Personality changes resulted from mercury poisoning.)

Public trust in the government overseeing the safety of vaccines is eroding. Compelling evidence has been brought before the Congressional House Committee on Government Reform associating mercury with autism. In Illinois, autism has increased 816 percent from 1992 to 1999. This could correlate with the addition of the Hepatitis B vaccine containing mercury that was added for newborns at this time. Yet the government calls for voluntary removal of mercury from the vaccines they are mandating for our children. On July 31, the coalition for Project SAFE MINDS* filed a citizen's petition with the FDA for an immediate recall of vaccines containing mercury. On July 26, 2000, IVAC asked the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee to make a recommendation to the Illinois Department of Public Health that vaccines containing mercury be immediately withdrawn from the market. There has been no response.

ACTION: Call, email, fax or write your Illinois State Representative and Senator and your US Representative and Senators asking them to join Project SAFE MINDS for immediate recall of mercury containing vaccines.

*Project SAFE MINDS (Sensible Action for the Elimination of Mercury Induced Neurological Disorders)
Telephone #908/276-6300

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