[Jeff Head]

Got these pics from our annonymous freeper in Iraq and he asked that I post them. Interesting pictures of barrels of chemicals. Dupont lists Dimethyl Sulfate as a strong methylating agent with superior reaction rates and high yields, and as a versatile chemical that can be used for a variety of processes in the production of many household and commercial chemicals.

Was Saddam using it for those purposes? Perhaps after looking into it our inspectors felt that way...but the Kurds certainly weren't such a purpose for Saddam's chemicals, and they certainly are what you might call a dual use technology.

[FreedomCalls]

Careful, those MSDSs can be over the top with hysteria sometimes.

For instance, here is a part of the MSDS data sheet for common beach sand:

Health Hazards Acute And Chronic

ACUTE/CHRONIC:PRLNGD EXPOS TO RESP CRYSTALLINE QUARTZ MAY CAUSE DELAYED(CHRONIC) LUNG INJURY(SILICOSIS). ACUTE/RAPIDLY DEVELOPING SILICOSIS MAY OCCUR IN SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN HEAVY EXPOS IN CERTAIN OCCUP SUCH AS SANDBLASTERS. SILICOSIS IS A FORM OF DISBLING PULM FIBROSIS WHICH CAN BE PROGRESSIVE & MAY LEAD TO DEATH.

Explanation Of Carcinogenicity

CRYSTALLINE SILICA: GROUP 2A (IARC)

Signs And Symptions Of Overexposure

UNDUE BREATHLESSNESS, WHEEZING, COUGH, AND SPUTUM PRODUCTION.

Medical Cond Aggravated By Exposure

PULM FUNC MAY BE REDUCED BY INHAL OF RESP CRYSTALLINE SILICA. ALSO LUNG SCARRING PRODUCED BY SUCH INHAL MAY LEAD TO PROG MASSIVE FIBROSIS OF LUNG WHICH MAY AGGRAV OTHER PULM CNDTNS & (SEE SUPP DATA)