Why are some people continuing to argue that autistic children are “poor excretors” of mercury?
A. I don’t know. It’s probably a matter of inertia. People have heard the “poor excretor” story over and over, but don’t know much about the physiology of hair. It’s easier to repeat what they’ve heard than to actually stop and think, “How would that work?” In addition, the hypothesis that mercury causes autism hasn’t been supported by the data. As a result, people who “believe” in the hypothesis are looking for something – no matter how weak – to support their belief system.
