TIL Iraq 1971 poison grain disaster has left 459 dead and 100,000 brain damaged. Farmers consumed grain treated with mercury fungicide, because they didn't understand English/Spanish warnings or skull/crossbones sign

submitted by Saturday from (thefactsource.com)

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[–]CarlDung 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (9 children)

Goddamn. And we are sharing the planet with this kind of people and still think we are equal in some sense?

[–]suckitreddit 7 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

You say that like they're complete idiots. But this was in the 1970s. In Iraq. In a country that doesn't even speak English, or Spanish, with a completely different culture. They are also farmers. Most likely they saw the skull and thought it was about the killing of the fungus. Is it a dumb mistake? Sure. But don't pretend it's because stupidity is in their genetics. You can look at Iran's history, and find their contributions to science.

[–]Intuit 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yes, there are lots of reasons to criticize middle eastern people, but this isn't one of them. It's pretty ignorant to assume that the symbols one uses are universally recognizable and not largely arbitrary.

[–]Cindy 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonian_astronomy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_and_technology_in_Iran#Science_in_ancient_and_Medieval_Iran_(Persia)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_in_the_medieval_Islamic_world

[–]CarlDung 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Is it a dumb mistake? Sure. But don't pretend it's because stupidity is in their genetics. You can look at Iran's history, and find their contributions to science.

So, you are saying they are genious and stupid at the same time? Quite interesting take on common sense lmao.

[–]Cindy 5 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Because they don't understand European languages or a Western icon?

[–]CarlDung 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Lol? Do you think only Europeans have skulls? Or, in which culture the sign of skull and bones is a sign of health?

[–]StBlops2cel_is_Lord 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

No no, all cultures are exactly the same.

[–]CarlDung 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Even the worshippers of Baal who sacrificed babies for sky gods? Or Aztecs who spilled human blood on vegetables to make the food divine?

[–]StBlops2cel_is_Lord 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

ESPECIALLY them.

[–]StBlops2cel_is_Lord 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

'Ahmed, why is there a picture of skull and bones on this drum of pesticide?'--'Oh, it's probably nothing'

[–]CommiesAreFools 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Why didn't they burn it all up, like DEA does (or used to do) with crops of Marijuana that they found? If they could post a skull and cross bones on it, then they could have just as well destroyed it before anyone could consume it. I guess it would have cost more money to dump fuel on it and burn it probably.

[–]TheKsist 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Did you read the article? It was for planting but it wasn't fully distributed before planting season ended, so people ate it and fed it to livestock.