I never thought of that, but there’s probably some truth to it. Maybe it’s the same with parents telling their kids not to sit too close to the TV or it will ruin their eyes, when in fact, it was a ploy to keep their heads from blocking the TV screen.
and to keep them away from the radiation.
The most terrifying one was when they told us not to play with the campfire and run around with sticks with red hot coals on the end. They told us it would make us wet the bed. Also when they told her not to be in the pool or it would turn purple.