Context
The properties of mercury make it a successful fungicide. However, in Europe and America, its health risks (even when consumed in small quantities) were known. Methylmercury had been banned in Sweden in 1966, the first country to do so, and the United Kingdom followed in 1971. Previous mercury-poisoning incidents had occurred in Iraq in 1956 and 1960. In 1956, there had been around 200 cases, and 70 deaths; in 1960 there had been 1000 cases and 200 deaths, in both cases due to ethylmercury compounds. Among the recommendations made after the 1960 incident had been to colour any toxic grain for easy identification. Before the 1971 incident, around 200–300 cases of methylmercury poisoning had been reported worldwide. Drought had reduced harvests in 1969, affecting 500,000 people, and in 1970. Saddam Hussein's government decided to import mercury-coated seed grain for the late 1971 planting season. Hussein himself may have worked in the Department of Agriculture in the aftermath of the 1960 incident.
Read more about this topic: 1971 Iraq Poison Grain Disaster
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