Thimerosol in Flu Vaccines? America's Mercury Habit is Nothing New

After agonizing over claims that dangerous toxins lurk in swine flu vaccines, Americans are lining up for their shots. That doesn't mean pro-vaccine forces have conclusively won the debate that's been raging on the Internet. People are simply more frightened of swine flu than they are of the (49% mercury) thimerosal that serves to keep bacteria and fungus out of the vaccine.

Mercury is a neurotoxic element that was once known as quicksilver and ranks next to gold at No. 80 on the periodic table. Isaac Newton, the first physicist and creator of the theory of gravity, experimented with quicksilver, even drank it. Some scholars view Newton's workaholism, raging competitiveness, religious fanaticism, and terminal virginity--he died without ever apparently having had sex--as indicators that he suffered from mercury poisoning.

Today the blood of one in three American woman contains detectable levels of mercury.

Mercury floods the atmosphere every time we fire up a coal plant. The neurotoxin rains down on our lakes, rivers, and oceans, tainting the fish we eat and particularly threatening the nerve cells of pregnant women, their fetuses, and young children.

So when was the last time you saw a kid or a woman of childbearing age turn down tuna fish?

Then there are compact fluorescent light bulbs. These contain enough mercury to be labeled dangerous, yet authorities haven't seen fit to come up with safe ways for Americans to turn in their burnouts. Most toss them in the trash, where they inevitably break--bad news for neighbors, passersby, custodians, garbage collectors, and refuse recyclers. (The good news? As long as you personally avoid the toxic fumes, you can relish the notion that less mercury will reach the environment because the bulbs reduce coal consumption.)

For people over 30, mercury is the perhaps-surprising identity of the stuff Moms used to smear on children's skinned and bloody knees. For much of the 20th Century, American wounds were treated with a selection of ever-more painful tinctures. Mercurochrome was the mild reddish stuff made from a compound of mercury and bromine. It stung the least, but plenty of children cried the first few times they experienced it.

As they grew, kids could look forward to an reddish-orange antiseptic that burned a lot more: Merthiolate made them bawl the first few times they experienced it, but the stuff sure killed bacteria and fungus. That's why pharmaceutical companies put it in the vaccines that contain deactivated flu. Yes, Merthiolate happens to be the trade name for...thimerosal.

Few worried about mercury back then. When thermometers broke, kids loved to roll the amazing silvery blobs around in boxes--or in their bare hands. Quicksilver was awesome to behold. Thrilling to touch. And incredibly toxic.

In the 1970s scientists finally began to research potential harm. By the 1990s, it was acknowledged that the mercurial antiseptics were extremely dangerous and should be withdrawn from the market. In response to the same research and a rising tide of complaints that thimerosal in infant and toddler vaccines might be making kids autistic, the Food & Drug Administration swept all but trace elements of himerosal from common vaccines--except for influenza.

The army of autism activists has since mushroomed as diagnoses of the neurological development disorder climbed to number more than 1% of all American kids and teens. The scientific establishment forcefully rejects any association with thimerosal; a simple argument is that if vaccines that contain mercury cause autism, the number of fresh cases ought to have dropped dramatically since 2002.

Is there another explanation? Dr. John J. Cannell of the Vitamin D Council has helped unearth, inspire, and conduct a lot of research into the benefits of Vitamin D--and the risks of not having enough of the powerful natural hormone. (I cite many of them in this entry from American Fever, my online novel about an H5N1 flu pandemic.)

In a paper published online in 2007, Cannell cited numerous examples of the benefits of Vitamin D exposure for pregnant women, including consumption of fish rich in it. And he details the breadth and cost of declining levels of Vitamin D in expectant mothers and other Americans since fear of skin cancer gripped the land.

It's just as possible that sunscreen--and sun avoidance--is causing far more harm than mercury ever did. Not to mention that Cannell thinks healthy Vitamin D levels might help protect against influenza.

 

Comments

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

The Great Polish Experiment

Whatever we all think of flu vaccines, the Polish government's decision not to stock swine flu vaccines until they've been further tested will leave that country's population as compelling test subjects while the flu circulates in the nasty Baltic winter. if Poles fare relatively well, anti-vaxers will have a field day. if they suffer disproportionately, pro-vaxers will make much of it.

It must be noted that case statistics are very messy as regards flu and 'influenza-like illnesses,' so both sides may find numbers they like.

I'll watch the big picture. This will be interesting. I hope it doesn't turn out badly for the Poles.

Warsaw Business Journal:
http://finanse.wp.pl/kat,47674,title,Calm-and-unvaccinated,wid,11675808,wiadomosc.html?ticaid=1914f

Stay well, Peter

[Sheldon101]

Peter, my comments, even though they're always 100% Huff-Po compliant often get censored. That's unfair when you consider I bring new information in many of them.

As I do now. As of late October, Poland was prepared to buy H1N1 vaccine, but only a small amount both because of cost and because very few Poles get vaccinated for flu.
http://www.warsawvoice.pl/view/21189

The Health Minister has drank anti-vax Kool-Aid.
"I know that there are three vaccines available on the market today, from three different producers. Each has a different amount of active substance and yet, strangely, they are all treated the same. Therefore isn’t it fair enough for a health minister and experts to have a slight doubt about it? Maybe the one with trace amount of active substance is just a “holy water” which we suppose can cure flu. Are we supposed to pay for that?"

"Can those facts make us have second thoughts about buying the vaccines? Second thoughts about introducing a medicine that is kind of secret? "

“And finally I would like to say only one thing. The Polish nation is very wise. Poles can tell the truth from lies very precisely. They can also tell what is an objective situation and what is just a game”.
http://shuswapnews.com/2009/11/09/polish-health-minister-questions-vaccine-safety/#more-1626

Flu Vaccination: Safe, Effective and the Moral Thing to Do.

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Sheldon -

I wouldn't know anything about that. You are all new to me.

Thanks for posting the info on Poland. An odd government, I know that much.

Best, Peter

[mofmars333]

Okay Peter. I've already tried to limit what I send because I'd never come across anything you've written until recently & didn't want to be pushy, at least until you'd gotten used to me. lol. I know I can be aggravating & I'm sorry but I can't help myself.

I do believe all is connected on these matters & needs disclosed but I'll refrain here since you asked.

It will be hard due to the urgency & importance on these matters because I worry so much for our children & future generations & feel the need to use every opportunity to the fullest whenever possible.

I do try to generate discussion here at HuffPo by leaving links at the end of my posts as I'll do here as I have done in leaving links to your articles at other bloggers articles, too.

So here goes on the matter of thimerosal.

Josephius has tried to say in this thread below that thimerosal does not contain mercury at all but the FDA says different so I ask you, who should we believe?

I know he says he's a scientist but I really have to wonder about that.

The FDA says; "Thimerosal is a mercury-containing organic compound (an organomercurial)."

Read it for yourselves at;

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228

& please see the important information at;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-g-yerman/the-gardasil-vaccine-seri_b_348714.html

&

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-g-yerman/the-gardasil-vaccine-intr_b_340292.html

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Marsha -

Well, I do think you do harm to your cause if you overrun discussions. This is an entertainm­ent-orient­ed society, so anyone wishing to make a point needs to let some air in with it.

I note that you overstated something, for sure:

"Josephius has tried to say in this thread below that thimerosal does not contain mercury at all but the FDA says different so I ask you, who should we believe? I know he says he's a scientist but I really have to wonder about that."

Here's what Josephius said:
"Thimerosal is carbon-based. It is an organomercurial. One atom of Hg, 22 others. It is just that Hg has more protins and neutrons than the others, giving it more mass, hence, 49% by weight."

Breathe & hydrate!

Best, Peter

[mofmars333]

Well then I'm very confused besause the FDA said;

The FDA says; "Thimerosal is a mercury-containing organic compound (an organomercurial)."

Which to me means there is some mercury so please expian to me in laymens terms how it is that we're to believe there is none?

[commenter314159]

Interesting take. One thing I have encountered often in anti vax posts is an extreme over estimation of the hazards of chemicals we encounter everyday. It's just a fact nearly anything can kill you in an overdose and conversely almost anything in a small enough dose is safe.

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

On the other hand, we constantly discover that accepted exposures can be harmful, as turned out to be the case with tobacco, so I'm all in favor of questions being asked. I think it's good that they are removing thimerosol from vaccines. Which doesn't mean that I believe it has been responsible for everything it is accused of.

Clearly, that orange stuff doctors and Mom used to smear on me wasn't as good an idea as it seemed at the time....

Thanks for posting!

Peter

[mofmars333]

We're not anti-vax!

Few of us are.

I, for one am leaning that way but do hope some vaccinations have been beneficial, especially considering the living nightmares many have been put through.

Something meant for good definitely went bad along the way & that's now fact.

Please refrain from calling us anti-vax because it's all about child health safety.

Speaking of all those toxins that were let loose on "US" by those we trusted with our well being.

There's quite a difference between the everyday environmental toxins we're up against & purposely & foolishly injecting poison into our bodies & the undeveloped little bodies of our children.

[commenter314159]

I am pretty sure I have replied to you before, but I don't recall mentioning you by name in my post for this particular thread. And since it's right up there, I can verify that.
But since you rang.

you said

"There's quite a difference between the everyday environmental toxins we're up against & purposely & foolishly injecting poison into our bodies & the undeveloped little bodies of our children."

let's see, "undeveloped little bodies". Already that's loaded language designed to evoke sympathy, and is totally irrelevant, as dosage is adjusted for size and weight.

you said "toxins were let loose" this is not the case, as the FDA tests these drugs before they are manufactured. Is the testing, perfect? Of course not, but by no means are totally untested drugs given to the public.

You said, "something went wrong (with vaccines) along the way, and that's a fact. No, that's an opinion. An opinion most data contradicts.

and finally, "There's quite a difference between the everyday environmental toxins we're up against & purposely & foolishly injecting poison into our bodies"

The only difference is that one is more emotionally involved. The visual of an injection is simply more jarring than eating a tuna sandwich or using one of the old fashioned anti bacterials that the author mentioned.

I have a question for you, How was your opinion of vaccines affected when you became aware that thimerisol had been mostly removed?

[AutismGrandma]

Re: "There's quite a difference between the everyday environmental toxins we're up against & purposely & foolishly injecting poison into our bodies & the undeveloped little bodies of our children."

It's bad enough that the human body now has to try to detox and process all of these toxic manmade chemicals, but the heavy metals are of a large molecular structure ("heavy") that are known to become trapped in the fatty tissues, primarily the brain which is primarily fat. The toxic damages produced by heavy metals including especially Mercury, Aluminum and Lead has been well documented in the medical liturature for many years. Therefore it is absolute INSANITY that the vaccine industry is permitted to utilize ANY heavy metals in the vaccines, and it is a CRIME that they have been protected from liability by congress because as soon as they got what they wanted in 1986, the vaccine schedule skyrocketed because they were given a "Hunting License with No Limit and now it has become Open Season on our Deer Children".

Regardless of the other toxic exposures in our enviorment, until the vaccine schedule was increased, thereby increasing the levels of Mercury and Aluminum exposures to vulnerable infants and children, Autism was only 1 in 10,000 in 1983, and it was non-existant before vaccines were introduced. There is overwhelming evidence that these massive vaccine exposures are wreaking havoc in our precious children, and the Pharmaceutical Industry continues to do everything in their power to prevent people from learning the

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

Marsha & Co:

I do ask that you stick to the topic of thimerosol. The web is full of debates about these other issues and the general anti-vaccination posts clog up readers' ability to get to the meatier posts down below.

Thank you.

Best,
Peter

[mofmars333]

Save & pass this information on to help wake others, especially your physicians, people.

Take no one's word for anything this urgent without doing your own research,your children are too important not to.

Many doctors as referenced in the following links are speaking out & soon many more will be joining their ranks of truth.

"Swine Flu-One of the Most Massive Cover-ups in American History" Renowned expert exposes major H1N1 myths.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/11/03/What-We-Have-Learned-About-the-Great-Swine-Flu-Pandemic.aspx

Doctors speak out;

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/727.html

Doctor Admits Vaccine Is More Deadly Than Swine Flu Itself & Will Not Give It To His Kids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1z7KSEnyxw&feature=related

Poisoning attempt’ charges filed against French H1N1 campaign

http://www.fleshandstone.net/healthandsciencenews/1662.html
www.Nutronix.com/naturalsolutions

Amazing Physician Alert!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0JqQyl09zQ&feature=player_embedded

Jane Burgermeister who filed criminal charges is old news but credible & incredible so be sure to see all the information at her site;

http://www.theflucase.com/

Swine Flu Government Data Scam?

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/731.html

[mofmars333]

Part 2

Young girl winds up in hospital after being injected with H1N1 swine flu vaccine without parental permission

http://www.naturalnews.com/027395_swine_flu_hospital_vaccine.html

Ron Paul

http://www.voteronpaul.com/newsDetail.php?Ron-Paul-Government-Can-Quarantine-the-People-2678

Chicken-pox Vaccine & Death – New US Government Study

http://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/chickenpoxadultdeaths/


Pentagon resumes experimental
vaccine testing on US troops

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/16.html

[StacyJ]

Thanks for all the links. I don't think you included Dr. Teresa Forcades' videos (this is part 1 of 6 ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0JqQyl09zQ
She's a Medical Doctor who also has a degree in theology from Harvard. Her videos on the swine vaccine are fascinating. It's called "Bell tolling for swine flu".

[Sheldon101]

Not that it matters from a health point of view.

All Canadian H1N1 vaccine product is supplied in 10 dose vials.

Canadians over 10 years of age use one dose of the product containing 5mcg thimerosal.

The current recommendation for 6 months to 10 years is
a 1/2 dose of product twice with a minimum 21 days between injections -- with breakdown time that's probably a maximum of 3.5?? mcg at any time.

It's extremely likely that this recommendation will be changed to
a 1/2 dose of product once for a total of 2.5 mcg

Once the first injection is given, the product has a shelf life of 24 hours.
..........­..........­..........­..
The true north strong and free

[mofmars333]

Peter, I want to thank you for trying to take the middle road on this which will help us get to the truth. You're up against a couple of the best who oppose "US" who are trying to tell you the truth.

[Sheldon101]

That comment is inappropriate.

[Sheldon101]

Peter, I want to thank you for trying to take the middle road on this which will help us get to the truth. You're up against a couple of the best who oppose "US" who are trying to tell you the truth.

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks, everyone!

I'm after the truth and I love surprises....

Best, Peter

[Josephius]

Also, for clarification, thimerosal is 49% mercury BY WEIGHT. Thimerosal (C9H9HgNaO2S) has 22 other atoms. Mercury just happens to be the heaviest (next to gold on the P.T. as you pointed out). Mercury is found in all people (it is ubiquitous), so whatever study you cited saying that it was detected in some pregnant women show the deficiency in their detection methods. Additionally, like any and all toxins, toxicity is determined by dose. Water and oxygen are also neurotoxins, but it is the does that determines the toxicity. Finally, mercury toxicity (acrodynia) has defined symptoms...it is nothing like autism. It works on all organ systems...not just a select few. Saying mercury will cause autism is like saying one could use a shot gun redecorate your shelf. Autism is the result of specific changes in neural connections in specific parts of the brain. There is no way mercury is going to specifically target those connections leaving other cognitive functions unaffected.

[Josephius]

A bit of a disconnect in the article....

You make a great point of explaining to the mercury militia that the use and prevalence of inorganic and mercurial compounds was far more in the past than it is today and that if mercury was a driver behind autism, we would have seen much, much higher incidences in the past compared to today. However, you then go onto a tangent and propose the possibility that use of sunscreens and/or changes in vitamin D consumption may be a driver. Again, if you look at history, milk was not fortified with vitamin D until well into the 1930's (because of the high incidence of rickets in children living in norther latitudes). Did we see a higher rate of autism prior to its use? Do we see a higher incidence now in northern latitudes? Do we see a higher incidence to those children born in certain seasons where they would have had less sun exposure relative to the total number of months they have been alive (those born in spring may would have more sun exposure than those in fall, and after 2 to 3 years when autism manifests, we might expect those to be more likely to have the disorder)? Do we see a higher incidence of autism in the lactose intolerant community?

There just isn't a consistent relationship with vitamin D consumptio­n/sunlight and the prevalence of autism.

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

Great posts!

Vitamin D is unnatural to milk and I'd never rely on it. That's what the sun is for.
In the entry I cited from my pandemic flu blog novel, my protagonist blogger explains why we need Vitamin D (http://americanfever.squarespace.com/journal/2009/8/15/day-43-vitamin-da-gorgeous-steroid-that-fights-disease.html): "Our need for Vitamin D reflects human evolution. We originated in oceans rich in calcium and then crawled onto land that didn’t offer it. Mammals developed Vitamin D to keep blood calcium at levels critical to maintaining heart, brain, and muscle functions without having to dip into the calcium stored in their bones—at least 90% of human calcium."

Until the industrial revolution, people got sun via bodies designed for it, wherever they dwelt. Modernity has mixed it up. That novel post contains links to a study showing Vitamin D deficiencies far greater in Canadian people of color. It'[s safe to say that Indoor life, pollution, and yes, sunscreens and solar avoidance affect our chemistry.

I doubt what we know as autism drew much attention back when, so there's no way to compare incidence. An unusual child was a "weird kid."

Cannell focuses on Vitamin D levels in expectant mothers, not infant exposure to sunlight.

Until the 1970s, Americans did not fear the sun. Cannell urges people to be tested for Vitamin D levels. (I'd love to read your response to his paper.) He's no Mercola.

Stay well, Peter

[RMankovitz]

Here is what the FDA and the NIH have to say about thimerosal:

" The Committee believed that the effort to remove thimerosal from vaccines was "a prudent measure in support of the public health goal to reduce mercury exposure of infants and children as much as possible." Furthermore, in this regard, the Committee urged that "full consideration be given to removing thimerosal from any biological product to which infants, children, and pregnant women are exposed." See:

http://www.fda.gov/biologicsbloodvaccines/safetyavailability/vaccinesafety/ucm096228#tox

Why did they take this position?

The NIH H1N1 vaccine trials with pregnant women were conducted only with thimerosal-free vaccines. Why? See

http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/QA/H1N1pregnanttrials.htm

Here is what the CDC has to say on the matter:

" CDC recommends that pregnant women receive flu vaccine with or without thimerosal." See:

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/providers_qa.htm

Why did the CDC take this position?

Which government group would you listen to and why? Does it concern you that the government contradicts itself on this issue? If not, why not?

As a research scientist who has studied and written books on the subject of heavy metal detoxification, my answer is this: given the pathetic state of our knowledge with respect to the detrimental effects on humans of mercury exposure, it borders on insanity to unnecessarily inject any human being with the second most potent neurotoxin in nature.

Roy Mankovitz, Director
http://www.MontecitoWellness.com

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

I'm not keen on it myself. I'm not at all convinced about any link to autism, but my contemporary dental fillings are mercury-free for a reason. I was blown away when I realized how much of the stuff I wore on my flesh as a kid. Science and medicine are moving targets and--as with our 'pathetic' knowledge of influenza--we never know remotely as much as we think we do.

No government is excepted.

Thanks for posting, Peter

[Josephius]

"Why did they take this position?"

It's obvious. For the same reason they decided on creating the VICP in the 80's. Because keeping the population immunized at the levels necessary to generate an effective heard immunity is more important that lawsuits or the use of any specific preservative. Our public health success requires a substantial proportion of our population to be immunized, otherwise we provide a foothold of hosts for parasites to use to replicate in and spread to others. The prevention of infectious diseases is not an individual effort. It affect all of us and requires as many as possible to participate.

"Why did the CDC take this position?"
Because an inordinate number of pregnant women die from the flu. Also, those that do not can have sever complications through the duration of their pregnancy and the possibilities of birth defects. Simply, the number of deaths and disabilities from influenza in those that are pregnant is far, far higher than all issues reported (unfounded or substantiated) with use of the vaccine.

[RMankovitz]

Thank you for sharing your personal opinions.
I wish you the best of health.

[mofmars333]

Speaking of pregnant woman getting this shot, this article ended with, "but chances are it's going to work." which says it all so why even take the risk when we know what we know is staring "US" in the face?

Please read the comments here to help get educated on this matter of atrocity in giving it to anyone, let alone a pregnant woman & save your loved ones from what could be a living nightmare.

One of the news networks has been reported in warning anyone pregnant of the danger in miscarriage & malformed fetuses. I think it was CBS. I'll try to find that report & send it so you can see.

"Pregnant women face uncertainty over H1N1 vaccine"

http://www.canada.com/health/Pregnant+women+face+uncertainty+over+H1N1+vaccine/2042742/story.html

[Josephius]

"As a research scientist who has studied and written books...it borders on insanity to unnecessarily inject any human being with the second most potent neurotoxin in nature"

And yet, as a researcher, you don't know that that thimerosal is not mercury, and that neither mercury or any compound with it isn't even close to the "second most potent neurotoxin". That's just awful! As far as neurotoxins are concerned, mercury isn't even on the short list. I can think of several species of snake venom that are far worse. Polonium, uranium, and plutonium are also worse. How about botulinum toxin? I can go on and on, but I think I made my point. Hopefully it registers with the readers here when they see you are back trying to sell some more of your books.

[mofmars333]

Isn't thimerosal mercury based?

And isn't that the same thing?

[Paradym]

The mercury you are referring to in regards to Thimerosal metabolizes to ethylmercury which is not bioaccumulative, passing through the body within days. The scientific data, taken in totality, do not support a link between mercury in vaccines and autism. Only the influenza vaccine contains trace amounts of the preservative Thimerosal, having been removed from all other vaccinations prior to 2002.

In regards to autism, current and building research are trending towards a probable genetic cause. "Autism is one of the most heritable complex genetic disorders in psychiatry. Despite this high heritability, autism has a heterogeneous etiology, with multiple genes and chromosomal regions likely to be involved." - Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry; 42:1, 116-118 Jan '03.

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

To set the record straight, only some of the influenza vaccine contains mere trace amounts of thimerosol or less. Much of it still includes larger quantities, per the ÇDC: http://www.cdc.gov/Flu/about/qa/thimerosal.htm. I'm aware that the link between autism and thimerosol in vaccines has not been proven. In my post, I intended to address the many ways in which we fail to look at the bigger picture when we obsess on a detail in a complicated historical process.

Much research remains to be done on why autism seems to be increasing, no question. Finding a gene, if one exists, still might not explain how it might be activated more frequently these days.

Questions are good.

[Sheldon101]

But surely, if your past the childhood vaccination schedule, your talking about one or two shots a year. The vaccine --> autism link was all about the concentration of thimerosal on one day from many vaccines.

But rather than go thimerosal free --- let's consider a 80-90% drop in thimerosal in 10 dose vial. That's important for better vaccines.

[mofmars333]

"In regards to autism, current and building research are trending towards a probable genetic cause."

That's wrong & we're proving it!

Slowly but surely, we are!

"Autism Increase Environmental Not Genetic – Says New Director of USA’s $30.5 Billion Health Research Budget"

http://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/autismenvironmental/

Autism activists question H1N1 vaccine

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/top-stories/autism-activists-question-h1n1-vaccine-1.1815379

[StThomas]

Mercury woo is failing as evidence grows. Turn to vitamin D woo instead?

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

Mercury seems to be a poor element to be intimate with. Whereas the sun is at worst, a mixed bag.
Best, Peter

[HermesThoth]

It would seem that the mercury in vaccines, in antiseptics, in the air from coal fired plants are synergistic with the decline in Vit. D consumption and exposire through natural sunlight. But I would also add that given the recent research in fetuses learning language while in the womb argues for a psychological cause of autism as well. With the mother's hormones and thought-activated emotions and also harsh external environmental sounds also coursing through her child to be - with these stimuli being the result of living in this insane world and society - no wonder children withdraw from it all into autism.

[Peter Christian Hall - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for posting! I'd love to see any links that address this. Autism is a scary problem that probably is best addressed with an open mind. I'll never forget how people laughed at those Australians who suggested that ulcers were caused by bacteria.
Best, Peter