Anita Cohen-Williams <[log in to unmask]> writes:

>Wait a minute! Isn't the common name for paradichlorobenzene, "mothballs"? And
>haven't people all over the U.S. been using these mothballs for over a hundred
>years? I have yet to see any scientific reports that link cancer to mothballs
>in closets. (Not to say there haven't been any, I just haven't seen any.) Let
>me check MEDLINE and get back to you.
>

Yes, paradichlorobenzene is one of the ingredients that has been
used for mothballs.  Another is naphthalene, I believe.

I just took a look at the material safety datashest for paradichlorobenzene
as suggested by Diane Gutenkauf <[log in to unmask]>.  It is certainly
not a substance I would like to have around me.  You can check out the
MSD at the following url:

gopher://ecosys.drdr.Virginia.EDU:70/00/library/gen/toxics/1%2C4-Dichlorobenzen
e

By the way, the MSD for naphthalene is also available at the
University of Virginia gopher site listed above.  It is not
pleasant reading either.

Rick Toomey
Illinois State Museum
[log in to unmask]