Over the years since the Second World War, we have come to depend on chemicals rather than natural products. Chemicals were more powerful and more easily obtainable. This is nowhere more true than in the realm of insect repellents. DEET was invented just after the war and developed for use by the United States army for jungle warfare. DDT was used widely on crops around about the same time.

In the post World War climate, chemicals seemed to be more effective and cheaper. What more could anyone want? But regulation was not so strict then and governments and manufacturers got away with a lot. DDT was later proscribed, although it has made a come-back of sorts. DEET is still the most often used insect repellent, although there are anxieties now about the regular use of it.

Share This