Stephen Feldman replied to my post by saying:
>>>spend some time with basic chemistry;there is no
>>chlorine in organic substances; chlorine and chloride are not then same and
demonizing one by saying the other exists in none of the compounds listed or
by describing what salted roadways do to car bottoms is misleading,

My reply:
This dispute came up with fluroide many months ago, with some people
disputing that flouride contained fluorine.

Contrary to your implication that the book was written by someone who
doesn't know chemistry:  Sporek, author of SALT & THE SEVEN DEADLY ILLS, is
analytical chemist with over 50 years of scientific research experience.
His book is based on basic chemistry principles available in modern
chemistry books.  I urge you to read it, before you criticise it.

From Webster's Dictionary and any basic chemistry text:  Chloride is the
term used for any binary compound of chlorine.  Any compound termed a
chloride contains chlorine, including sodium chloride.  Also, another ex.
carbon tetrachloride is carbon combined with chlorine.  Calcium chloride is
calcium bound with chlorine.  Potassium chloride is potassium bound with
chlorine.

From Sporek's book, page 20:
"Sodium chloride, which is our main subject, is a molecule consisting of an
atom of sodium and an atom of chlorine which in themselves are elements.

In inorganic chemistry most chemical compounds (molecules) consist of
combinations of acids and alkalies resulting in the formation of salts.
Thus sodium chloride is the result of a combination of hydrochloric acid
(acidic) and sodium hydroxide (alkaline).  The same molecule of sodium
chloride can be obtained by the direct reaction of chlorine gas on sodium
metal.  The latter reaction also results in the formation of a large amount
of heat and can lead to fire or explostion.

Although molecules are stable under normal conditions they can be relatively
easily separated into the corresponding elements by certain physical
actions; in the case of sodium chloride this can be achieved either by
electrolysis or by ion exchange.  These processes are used on large scale
industrially to produce chlorine gas, sodium metal, hydrochloric acid,
sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.  They are also important in the
functioning of living systems since all the above reactions occur in a
living body."

Salt's corrosive action on metals is due to the reactivity of the chloride
ion with metals such as iron.  When salt is dissolved in water the sodium
and chloride ions dissociate, leaving the chloride free to attach and bind
with other minerals.  This happens as readily in our bodies as it does on
our roadways.  Chloride dissolved in our body's water is capable of
combining with iron to form iron chloride, zinc to form zinc chloride, and
calcium to form calcium chloride.  Any of these reactions can have profound
effects.

Sporek is simply leading the way for rational discussion of sodium chloride
effects on the human organism.  One of Cordain's colleagues, Anthony
Sebastian, M.D., has written and published several papers on the deleterious
effects of sodium chloride and the imbalance in modern diets.

Here's one reference:  "Diet, Evolution & Aging:  The pathophysiological
effects of the post agricultural inversion of the potassium-to-sodium and
base-to-chloride ratios in the human diet"

European Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 40, No. 5, 2001, p. 200-213.  I have
othre papers from Cordain on this subject and more can be found on Medline.

Rachel & (mostly) Don Matesz









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