Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site drusd.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!ihnp4!drutx!drusd!phl From: phl@drusd.UUCP (LavettePH) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: re: Nuclear War Casualties Message-ID: <1129@drusd.UUCP> Date: Fri, 19-Oct-84 17:38:32 EDT Article-I.D.: drusd.1129 Posted: Fri Oct 19 17:38:32 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 21-Oct-84 12:18:01 EDT Lines: 27 "It were indeed to be wished that our art had been less in- geneous, in contriving means destructive to mankind; we mean those instruments of war, which were unknown to the ancients, and have made such havoc among the moderns. But as men have always been bent on seeking each other's des- truction by continual wars; and as force, when brought against us, can only be repelled by force; the chief sup- port of war, must, after money, be now sought in chemistry. ...God grant that mortal men may not be so ingenious at their own cost, as to pervert a profitable science any longer to such horrible uses." - Boerhaave, "A New Method of Chemistry" Leiden, 1732 (Referring to Berthold Schwarz's exp- eriments with black powder ca. 1250) [Then human race was destroyed when].."intelligent, educated men decided they could maintain the peace by building weapons whose power they could not comprehend and whose use they could not cdontrol." - Shute, "On the Beach", ca 1950 (Misquoted, but the sense is there)