Sure, I know DDT-soaked Disney wallpaper sounds like a hilariously bad idea now. But back in 1947, the massive spraying of DDT had just wiped out malaria and typhus and saved millions of people, including Our Boys Fighting In The Pacific.
So why wouldn't Disney license and Parents Magazine commend this modern scientific miracle as a protective tool for our sweet, vulnerable babies?
As it turns out, the real threat from DDT comes from its agribusiness uses and its cumulative effects in the environment, not from direct exposure. According to Wikipedia's sources, home use of DDT is still not unheard of:
Today, about 4-5,000 tonnes of DDT are used each year for vector control.[13] In this context, DDT is applied to the inside walls of homes to kill or repel mosquitos entering the home. This intervention, called indoor residual spraying (IRS), greatly reduces environmental damage compared to the earlier widespread use of DDT in agriculture.The one exception to that, ironically, is prenatal exposure, where DDT has been linked to a variety of neurological and developmental disorders. Which means installing DDT in the nursery should really be the dad's job.
Disney DDT-Impregnated Nursery Wallpaper (1947) [livejournal via boingboing]
Disclosure: In compliance with FCC Blogger Regulations, I hereby affirm that this post was not influenced by my upcoming participation as a keynote speaker at the 2010 DDDTWMA [Disney DDT Wallpaper Manufacturers Association] Conference in St. Barts.
Just Dip in water and hang! that is great.
Hilarious!