Does poisoning as a cause of death on a death certificate indicate chemical exposure from Love Canal?
No. Causes of death were grouped using the classifications that are used routinely by medical researchers. Each group contains similar kinds of events, but they are not identical. The poisoning category is not related to exposure to Love Canal chemicals. It includes events like eating poisonous mushrooms or taking too much of or the wrong kind of medication. Suspected chemical exposure many years before death would not be used as a cause of death. In general, primary causes of death are heart or lung failure, with secondary causes being the illness or event that triggered the immediate problem. • How can HIV (AIDS) be related to chemical exposure? Based on what we know about AIDS, chemical exposure is not a risk factor for contracting the virus. One of our community consultants to the Advisory Committee asked whether there is any published research about chemical exposure weakening the immune system, and about the effects of situational stress on risk-taking behavior. We reviewed the s
