Some troops are cleaning equipment

[Margaret Diann]

Says one mother, "My son is now in Kuwait (much safer place).
They are cleaning up and dismantling their equipment preparing for their return home. They have a lot of equipment so it will take them about a month."

Mom, You must warn your sons that clean up of equipment possibly even with DAWN has caused some to have the 'gulf war syndrome' symptoms

A lady gulf war 1 vet called me last month and shared that's when the whole group of them got 'flu-like' symptoms at the same time ... after they had been cleaning the equipment that came back from Saudi - after the gulf war 1

http://www.gulfwarvets.com/ubb/Forum9/HTML/000027.html
Her doctor has now diagnosed her with too many immature red blood cells (This was what I would expect to be the underlying cause of gulf war syndrome: red blood cell damage. The immune system destroys your red blood cells too early; the bone marrow compensates with making more, but they are low functioning - this is the fatigue) If she could find several from her group, and if they had the same blood damage and other symptoms, too, this could help the military take better care of their soldiers!

If they used any protective equipment like goggles and gloves, that might help. (Or if they rotated the assingment to others - & not had too much exposure to just some.) But this has been the case of some in the States who were civil servants in Depots - cleaning equipment

They might use something more powerful these days

Now the ethyl alcohol in DAWN is something I NEVER would have expected - as it is such a simple form of the linear hydrocarbon I expect has been the cause of gulf war syndrome

- AND there is such a thing as 2nd hand exoposure too http://www.valdezlink.com/cfs_dec_24.htm

Do these effects of the stronger solvent, 2-butoxyethanol look like the 'gulf war syndrome' symptoms?

[catman]

Dawn dish soap = GWS? Give me a break! Why than have the millions and millions of people who used it before, during and after the war not become sick? You are chasing a slander suit and I really wish you would publish the "facts" you are quoting and not continually spew disinformation and half truths.

Trav

[Margaret Diann]

We're not talking about infrequent use. We're talking about from dawn to dusk exposure with no gloves/goggles or any protective equipment day after day, after day, after day, after day, after day, after day, after day, after day, after day, after day, after day (and that's just 10 days - What about 20? ... 30?)

... & as I said, this was definitely a surprise.

It could be that too much exposure even to 'mild' compounds are not so, when repetitively done. Some protective gear; some rotation of 'cleaning' duty ... could possibly spare many from health harm.

But if this must be repeated ...

This time when a whole group comes down with 'flu-like' symptoms they should medically monitor this group. If the govt. won't they should continue to keep in touch with each other.

AND it is very important to recognize the symptoms of having too much of a chemical exposure of some type: ... the ways our bodies 'complain' about too much of a chemical exposure: Symptoms (most common first) of too much exposure to a solvent-type chemical include:

headache, sore throat, voice change or loss, constant humph, catarrh, unexpected tiredness, fatigue, sore/watery/gritty eyes, irritability, anxiety, depression, loss of concentration, short-term memory loss, reactions to other chemicals, dizziness, blocked nose, rhinitis, mouth ulcers, bad/metallic taste in mouth, lip sores, chest tightness, shortness of breath, chest pains, asthma, sinusitis, nasal discharge, nose bleeds, ulceration of nasal mucosa, itchy burning skin, rashes, dermatitis, aching joints and muscles, fibromyalgia, uncontrollable twitching, heart arrhythmia's, palpitations, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, tinnitus, earache, pins and needles, numbness in fingers and toes, Raynaud?s Syndrome, menstrual irregularities, pain/difficulty urinating. Other areas of concern include liver damage, cancer, teeth and gum problems, reproductive effects and lack of interest in sex.

Don't dismiss the warning signs as has been done in the past. When the whole company comes and has 'flu' at the same time - Next time around, don't pawn it off to just living in 'tight quarters' which is what the commanding officers told this gulf war vet. And which I've heard of before, too.

Anyone know how to interest the CDC in a study of groups of soldiers with en-mass 'flu-like' symptoms?

This rescue worker for baby seals after the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup - Seward location was exposed to oil, to Dawn, and to the chemical of the cleanup - 2-butoxyethanol. Another worker at Valdez location has come down with CLL. So did the head of DEC, & others have had serious harm too. Any ideas of how to get this studied, so we can know the facts?

... & so that others, including today's soldiers, so they can benefit also? Here are some other soldiers with 'flu-like' symptoms, today

Here is an example from 1989

What chemicals should be suspected for harm? These They're in a lot of products that you may think are safe, too: Check for what products contain 2-butoxyethanol (CAS Registry Number: 000111-76-2) in the Household Products Data Base Also check for the complex version Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (CAS Registry Number: 000112-34-5) 5% concentration is not safe for home use, per an expert in product development.