Final answer:
The public's early acceptance of DDT was due to its effectiveness against diseases like malaria and the general post-war trust in scientific progress. Endorsements from the chemical industry and the government bolstered its perceived safety until ecological and health issues were revealed, leading to its eventual ban in 1972. Environmentalist Rachel Carson played a key role in exposing the dangers of DDT through her book Silent Spring.
Step-by-step explanation:
The public acceptance and popularization of DDT without full knowledge of its safety can largely be attributed to its immediate and dramatic effectiveness in combatting diseases such as malaria, coupled with the post-World War II societal trust in scientific advancements. DDT was a highly effective insecticide that played a crucial role in drastically reducing the prevalence of diseases spread by insects, particularly malaria. Its success in this regard was undeniable, as it led to significant public health improvements in countries around the world. For instance, malaria cases in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) dropped from over a million a year to being practically eliminated by 1963 due to DDT usage.
Moreover, the chemical industry heavily promoted DDT as a safe and necessary tool for improving public health and agricultural productivity. The initial lack of apparent immediate harm to humans and the endorsement of DDT by governmental authorities contributed to the widespread trust in its safety. It wasn't until a decade after its widespread use began that the ecological and health effects became apparent, shedding light on the problem of bioaccumulation and the thinning of bird eggshells. These discoveries came to light particularly through the work of environmentalist Rachel Carson, who published the groundbreaking book Silent Spring in 1962, highlighting the ecological dangers of DDT and other pesticides. Her work eventually led to the ban of DDT in the United States in 1972. However, by the time these adverse effects were recognized, DDT had already been entrenched as a miracle chemical in the public's mind.