SOCECOL E8 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Master Sergeant, Childhood Obesity, Precautionary Principle
12 May 2018
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Department
Course
Professor
Short-Answer Question Cases
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1. Science and the Law in a Civil Action
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Questions: Why in 1986 could the law answer the following question and science could not in
the A Civil Action case? “What caused the leukemia and is the threat over?”
-With leukemia still a mystery disease, science yet cannot provide the answer
-The law’s job is to prove causation at a moment in time
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2. Master Sergeant's Daughter (Janey Ensminger)
Possible questions:
i. What killed Janey Ensminger? !
Childhood obesity which was caused by drinking Camp Lejuene water which was found
to be contaminated because of the mishandling of the toxic chemical disposals. Master
Sergeant believed that its the Marine Corps’s fault for they did not inform the residents
about the contamination.
ii. Why did her early death occur? !
The water provided by the Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point distribution systems was
highly contaminated with various chemicals, including PCE, TCE, DCE, etc.
Nevertheless, the marine corps failed to inform the residents about the toxic chemicals
causing the water contamination until the death of the child.
iii. What are lessons of Camp Lejuene and the death of Janey? !
A simple test could’ve notified the residents of the water contamination. It is an
illustration of how the “system for accountability ” works and does not work on chemical
contamination in contemporary America.
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3. Precautionary Principle
Question: What is the precautionary principle? (Better safe than sorry) !
- When an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, precautionary
measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established
scientifically.
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4. Professor Blumberg's Myths and Realities
Question: Identify the myths and realities presented by Professor Blumberg !
-Myth-EPA tests the effects of chemicals on human, animal, and environmental health.
-Reality- EPA tests NOTHING and requires only that manufacturers perform basic
toxicological testing for toxicity and carcinogens.
-Myth-EPA practices the “precautionary principle” (better safe than sorry) in regulating
chemicals.
-Reality- Opposite- there needs to be proof before a chemical is unlicensed.
-Myth-EPA and FDA conduct exposure assessments that measure real life exposures and
protect us from dangerous chemicals.
-Reality-Exposure assessments are based on modeling and rarely, if ever, measure actual
exposures. -relevant for low dose effects.
-Myth-EPA and other agencies use “state of the art” science to evaluate chemical safety
-Reality-Laboratory science used is very old and heavily influenced by entities being regulated.
-EDC screening battery.!
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find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Short-answer question cases: science and the law in a civil action. What caused the leukemia and is the threat over? . With leukemia still a mystery disease, science yet cannot provide the answer. The law"s job is to prove causation at a moment in time: master sergeant"s daughter (janey ensminger) Childhood obesity which was caused by drinking camp lejuene water which was found to be contaminated because of the mishandling of the toxic chemical disposals. The water provided by the tarawa terrace and hadnot point distribution systems was highly contaminated with various chemicals, including pce, tce, dce, etc. A simple test could"ve notified the residents of the water contamination. It is an illustration of how the system for accountability works and does not work on chemical contamination in contemporary america: precautionary principle. Question: what is the precautionary principle? (better safe than sorry)
