There is now evidence that organophosphates in sheep dip cause bone disease.
A team led by Juliet Compston of Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, analysed 24
farmers who were developing bone disease. Compared with healthy controls, they
showed clear evidence of reduced bone tissue formation (The Lancet, vol
352, p 1791). The team suspects the disease occurs because organophosphates
block an essential enzyme called acetylcholinesterase in bone.
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