A great DOCTOR, DOCTOR column and word from Sharon Wachsler

[Guest guest]

Hi, All -

Today' Oakland Tribune, an ANG newspaper, has the DOCTOR, DOCTOR

column by doctors Ron Eisenberg and Virgil -- staff

physicians at Highland General Hospital in Oakland -- right up our

alley! It is titled " Most kitchens have ecologically sound cleaners

as alternatives " and in it they give our tried and true: baking soda,

washing soda, Borax, plain white vinegar.

And their piece de resistance is:

Here are a few practical suggestions. Instead of expensive aerosol

air fresheners containing artificial perfumes, set out an open box of

baking soda, place a dish of warm vinegar on a counter, or simmer

some cloves and cinnamon in water. Instead of floor cleaners, for

vinyl tile or linoleum mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 gallons of

water. . . .

They go on to suggest ... As a substitute for furniture polish, make

a lemon wax by mixing 1 teaspoon of lemon oil with 1 pint of mineral

oil.

I don't use mineral oil because it too is a petroleum product. See

MSDS at http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/m7700.htm

I make a polish out of lemon juice and olive oil (the lemon oil

adversely affects my breathing). Works great.

If you want to write to the good doctors -- unfortunately they give

only a snail address --

Drs. Virgil and Ron Eisenberg

ANG

P.O. Box 10367

Pleasanton, CA 94588

They go on to state: Questions cannot be answered individually,

however some will be discussed in future columns.

Even finding their columns on the web does not bring an email contact.

Their last series of articles available online --

3)

" Everything you ever wanted to know about sprouts; Article last

updated: Thursday, March 29, 2001 4:45 PM MST "

http://buzz.insidebayarea.com/baliving/IndexStory.asp?puid=4406 & spuid=4406 & id=49\

959025 & ro=0 & IssueRange=20010329,20010329

2)

Everything you ever wanted to know about tofu

This is the second of a three-part series on so-called ``healthy foods. "

http://buzz.insidebayarea.com/baliving/IndexStory.ASP?puid=4406 & spuid=4406 & Indx=\

756836 & Article=ON & id=49959025 & ro=0

1)

Yogurt celebrates its 4,000 years as a food

Q: We have received many letters asking about so-called

``healthy foods. " In this three-part series, we will discuss the

value of three popular health foods: yogurt, tofu and sprouts.

http://buzz.insidebayarea.com/baliving/IndexStory.ASP?puid=4406 & spuid=4406 & Indx=\

756798 & Article=ON & id=49959025 & ro=1

I've written to the doctors in the past on the subject of synthetic

scents. More than once. I'm sure others have too. Maybe now is the

time to write again to thank them for this article and to suggest

that they do another one on the synthetic scents and the golden

opportunity afforded the public to inform the FDA ... Yeppers, the

FDA Petition!

Trade secret protected chemicals were found through analyses and were

released in that petition. You'dathunk someone in our government

agencies, in the mainstream medical industry, in the mainstream media

would have done something with this information to bring it to the

attention of the public. Goodness knows, we've tried.

Speaking of trying, Sharon Wachsler has been devoting a lot of time

and energy to spreading the word of the FDA Petition. With Earth Day

coming up, you too can spread the word. And Sharon has made it easy

for you ... here's her latest info for us all.

Hello fellow advocates for a safer world,

We are starting to make progress on using the recent Moyers' report and CDC

study to draw attention to the EHN petition to the FDA! Let's keep it

building!

Here are some recent successes:

- A Boston radio station has agreed to do a show with someone from EHN to

discuss the petition to have " Eternity " perfume disbranded.

- Progressive Secretary has agreed to do a letter on the petition to FDA.

- WAMC, the Northeast Public Radio station will have a show on April 17th

with Sheldon Rampton & Stauber, authors of " Trust Us, We're Experts: How

Industry Manipulates Science and Gambles with Your Future " and " Toxic Sludge

is Good For You " . They will be talking about chemicals and industry and the

Bill Moyers special. Local environmental health activists will use this

opportunity to call in and alert the public about the petition.

* * *

MAKING ACTIVISM EASY!

A simple, 2-page handout is now available for you to give to neighbors,

friends, colleagues, the PTA, local health organizations, etc. It includes an

information sheet about the petition, plus a sample letter that can be signed

and sent.

The information sheet (one page, double-sided), explains that toxic chemicals

are found in ordinary household produts; that the chemical industry is trying

to keep this secret; and that the FDA is not upholding its own regulations

(the law) requiring that dangerous or suspect products bear a warning label.

To help explain the seriousness of the issue, the info sheet refers to the TV

documentary " Trade Secrets " that has upset and energized the general public.

The second page is the sample letter that people can fill in their name and

address, sign, and mail, email, or fax.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THE HANDOUT:

by FAX or E-mail -- contact SWachsler@... and indicate whether you'd like

to receive the handout by fax or by e-mail (attached file and/or in the body

of the text), and then give your fax number or email address;

by U.S. mail -- send a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) to

Environmental Health Coalition of Western Massachusetts (EHCWM), P.O. Box

614, Leverett, MA 01054.

* * * *

You can use this information sheet and sample letter to e-mail, to bring to

meetings or the doctor's office, or anywhere. It is designed to be easily

understood by, and compelling to, the general public.

If you haven't sent your letter to the FDA supporting docket number

99P-1340/CP 1, " Petition to Have " Eternity eau de parfum " Misbranded " PLEASE

DO IT TODAY.

Thanks so much for all your hard work! Together we will make a change!

-Sharon Wachsler

EHCWM, Clarion editor

* * * *

- E-mail, fax, or write the FDA and tell them you SUPPORT docket number

99P-1340/CP 1, " Petition to Have " Eternity eau de parfum " Misbranded.

Send comments to:

Dockets Management Branch

The Food and Drug Administration

Department of Health and Human Services, Rm. 1-23

12420 Parklawn Dr.

Rockville, MD 20857

OR

FAX: (301) 827-6870

OR

E-mail: fdadockets@...

*Include your name, mailing address, and the docket number (99P-1340/CP 1) on

your letter.

For more information:

Fragranced Products Information Network:

http://www.ameliaww.com/fpin/Petition.htm

EHN petition site:

http://users.lanminds.com/~wilworks/FDApetition/bkgrinfo.htm

FDA dockets: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/051199/cp00001.pdf.

EHN also has a two page flyer -- based on the PRNewswire press

release -- that you can download from the web. I have it up under

Posters. (For some reason I cannot make PDF files, so if you use

EHN's please reformat so you'll be able to print it with the press

release and contact info on one side of the page and the FDA contact

info on the other -- we use two-sided copy to save paper.)

And remember, you can use any info you find helpful on the FDA

petition. I've a lot of info up under the Product Label that the

public really should be able to learn about. See

http://users.lanminds.com/~wilworks/FDApetition/eterbkpg.htm

Let's swing into spring with new efforts at informing the public

about the petition by contacting our local media; putting flyers out

at your local library; working with your local ecology centers . . .

use the information to try to convince your governor that s/he will

be doing the RIGHT THING by signing an MCS 2001 Proclamation.

Thanks, barb

April 2001 --

It is NO joke! The fragrance industry is

protected by TRADE SECRET laws and

it is NOT regulated by the FDA.

FDA Petition with fragrance analyses:

http://users.lanminds.com/~wilworks/FDApetition/bkgrinfo.htm

Tell the FDA today about your adverse reactions

to the superfluous toxins that make up modern

synthetic scents.

Reference: Docket Number 99P-1340/CP 1

E-mail: <fdadockets@...>