Mothballs 311zene fumes failed to produce cancer in a short animal test. The disease did
develop in mice and rats that received oral dosage, and paradichlorobenzene
caused cell mutations (a possible indication of cancer-causing potential) in
fungi but not in bacteria. Human risk is unknown.
Pregnancy.A normal infant was born to a woman who ate one or two
paradichlorobenzene toilet fresheners a week during her pregnancy. A preg-
nant woman who sniffed naphthalene, however, produced a child with skin
color typical of naphthalene poisoning and an enlarged liver and spleen. The
organs became normal after treatment.
Additional scientific information may be found in:
Athanasiou, M., et al. “Hemolytic Anemia in a Female Newborn Infant Whose Mother
Inhaled Naphthalene Before Delivery.”Journal of Pediatrics130 (1997): 680–81.
Santucci, K., and B. Shah. “Association of Naphthalene with Acute Hemolytic Anemia.”
Academic Emergency Medicine7 (2000): 42–47.
Siegel, E., and S. Wason. “Mothball Toxicity.”Pediatric Clinics of North America 33
(1986): 369–74.
Weintraub, E., D. Gandhi, and C. Robinson. “Medical Complications Due to Mothball
Abuse.”Southern Medical Journal93 (2000): 427–29.