🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <344D8968.E063C4F5@rogers.wave.ca>, sadams@rogers.wave.ca spouts...

>  I also don't know if I agree with Michael Kagalenko's definition of a toxin 
as "a substance that in
>some form causes damage to the body which eventually leads to death" - I 
hardly think that a .357 Magnum
>slug or a Louisville Slugger could qualify as a toxin, although these seem to 
fit the definition, as
>does Helium, which is not really a toxin either

You shouldn't agree with it; he's got it a little mixed up.  A toxin is a 
poisonous substance produced by plants(phytotoxins), animals(zootoxins), or 
bacteria(bacteriotoxins).  A poison, on the other hand, is a substance that in 
relatively small doses act to destroy life or seriously impair cellular 
function.  Note however, that a toxic substance acts to destroy or impair 
cellular function(can be natural or manmade by definition).  I think he was 
referring to the term toxicant, which is a substance that produces effects 
popularly referred to as intoxication(or poisoning).  

(paraphrased from 'Essentials of Environmental Toxicology' by W. W. Hughes)


>

-- 
Coby Hughey
"By US Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer meets the
 definition of a telephone fax machine.  By Sec.227(b)(1)(C), it is unlawful to 
send any unsolicited advertisement to such equipment.  By
Sec.227(b)(3)(C), a violation of the aforementioned Section is punishable by 
action to
recover actual monetary loss, or $500, whichever is greater, for each 
violation."