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[ted <music AT thenightshades.com>]

Multiply the number of entries in the several volumes of the LD50 reference
times the number of animals poisoned in the process of listing fatal doses
of any and every chemical known to man- how many zeroes on that number? It's
got to be in the millions at least- all for the sake of this dubiously
useful statistic.

I imagine they didn't get it right on the first try, either- probably took
several populations to get it right at 50%- science is a rigorous
enterprise!

on 11/12/04 4:07 PM, homestead-request AT lists.ibiblio.org at
homestead-request AT lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

> 
> Tests on fruitflies and relatively short-lived animals
> are only as good as the LD50 factor. And that's
> *not* good at all.