Silent Spring

The cover of the first edition

Silent Spring was a book written by Rachel Carson describing the effects of DDT and other pesticides. The book was published in September of 1962 and accused chemical manufacturers of understating and denying risks associated with the use of pesticides. Carson also wrote that public officials were too trusting with these marketing claims and believed the manufacturers, who were solely interested in making money without considering the risks.

Carson also wrote that the use of DDT would accumulate in the environment in which it was used, leading to a significant amount of destruction. She wrote that "biocide" should be used instead of "pesticide," since pesticides will kill anything that ingests a high enough dose. The indiscriminate effect of such chemicals leads to ecological damage, and, despite what the chemical manufacturers claimed, damage to humans, too.

A former Secretary of Agriculture said that because Carson was not married, despite being attractive, she must be a Communist. There is no evidence to support this claim.