Malathion Spraying
In 1990, The Times published an article that gave the amount of malathion sprayed at the time, as 2.8 ounces per acre, for the Los Angeles and Orange county areas. Recently, The Times reported the amount to be sprayed locally would be on the order of 1.2 ounces per acre, slightly less than half the previous amount. Accordingly, the amount of malathion, exclusive of the additional volume of attractant and diluent, represents a dose of approximately 0.0000333 ounce, or converting to drams and minums (drops) about 0.0015 drops of malathion per square foot. Compared to other chemicals, this does not appear to be a dangerous dose.
I am inclined to believe that an ounce of hysteria has multiplied the toxicity beyond its reality.
GEORGE E. MARSHALL
Ojai
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