That would include symptoms similar to the flu, like an upset stomach, sweating, and a runny nose. The symptoms occur because organophosphates inhibit the breakdown of a chemical essential for nerve transmission. The result is overstimulation of the nerves. Those, he says, might take many different forms and would likely be hard to detect. Medical toxicologist Scott Phillips, MD, who is affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Poison Control Center in Denver and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, says home users of Dursban should have little to worry about.
Larger amounts can.
It's the dose that makes the poison, not the substance. While the EPA's evidence has come from rat studies only, and the manufacturer has put in a high margin of safety for humans, Hollingworth isn't prepared to say Dursban is safe. Just because we don't have evidence of neurological effects in humans doesn't mean they can't occur. As is the case with any toxic substance, Dursban poisonings can be prevented if precautions are taken around the home. Post the telephone number for your poison control center near the phone, in a place where all family members would be able to find it quickly in an emergency.