And then Joesph O'Neil replies --.
> On the other hand there are household chemicals that can be
>extremely dangerous. Chlorine bleach for example has horrific potential if
>misused, but people buy & use the stuff all the time form washing clothes
>to disinfecting swimming pools.
> For example, I do not think we should have self serve gas stations because
>gasoline on base skin can be very toxic, especially reapeated expsoure.
I think Joseph is right. There are far more dangerous chemicals in use in
everyday life than pyro. I checked the Merck index (my Sax got lost in the
move) and it is poisonous, but it is not suspected of being carcinogenic or
mutagenic. If you mix your own from powder, there may be some safety issue
but in the standard mixes one would have to drink a whole bunch of it to do
yourself in.
The pyrophobia may have gotten started in the early 70's when it was
suspect in causing Parkinsons in so many old time photogs.
--Dick Sullivan