Memories...
I grew up in “mosquito country”, Beaumont TX. There was often a huge mosquito problem there so they sent trucks around spraying this bad smelling dark gray stuff. I don’t know what it was—I’m not sure DDT was used in the 40’s and 50’s.
A lot of the kids I knew followed behind the trucks on their bikes breathing in the insecticide.
I never heard of anyone dying or getting sick from this activity—but maybe they died younger than they would have otherwise.