Determinants of Arsenicosis Patients’ Perception and Social Implications of Arsenic Poisoning through Groundwater in Bangladesh

Adverse human health effects ranging from skin lesions to internal cancers as well as widespread social and psychological problems caused by arsenic contaminated drinking water in Bangladesh may be the biggest arsenic calamity in the world. From an arsenicosis patients survey, this paper empirically analyzes the determinants of arsenicosis patients’ perception about chronic arsenic poisoning and social and psychological implications of arsenicosis. In this study, cross-sectional data were collected from the Matlab and Hajiganj Upzillas of Chandpur district which are known to be highly contaminated with arsenic in their underground water. Respondents informed that arsenic poisoning causes a wide range of social and psychological problems. Female respondents were less vulnerable in the case of social problems (p < 0.01) and more vulnerable for the psychological problems (p < 0.001) of arsenicosis than male respondents. The results based on logit analysis showed that education (p < 0.01) and household income (p < 0.05) were significantly correlated to respondents’ perception about arsenicosis. The arsenicosis related special program (s) needs a clear understanding of people’s perception about arsenic exposure for abating the health burden as well as social and psychological problems

Geographies of shit: spatial and temporal variations in attitudes towards human waste

Taboos surrounding human waste have resulted in a lack of attention to spatial inequalities in access to sanitation and the consequences of this for human, environmental and economic health. This paper explores spaces where urgent environmental health imperatives intersect with deeply entrenched cultural norms surrounding human waste and the barriers they create for the development of more appropriate excreta management systems. The primary focus is on the global South (particularly India), although literature on sanitation histories in Europe and its colonies is drawn upon to illustrate spatial and temporal differences in cultural attitudes towards excrement

Celtic Fairy Elements in Three Medieval Romances

The concern of this essay is to trace these elements back to their ancient sources and to show that fairies and enchanted lands were not mere whims and fancies of poets, but rather part of an entire tradition that evolved from works more ancient than the eleventh century Welsh Mabinogion. The first portion of the study will be a general introduction to Celtic mythology. Of the myriad motifs and concepts that run through this bulk of this literature, we will consider the following for close examination: 1) the character of the Celtic Fee; 2) the dual aspects of the Other World; 3) the Other World location and landscape; 4) the fairy feast; 5) barriers to the Other World; 6) color; 7) time and abduction motifs. Moving from this introduction, the essay will then examine these elements in each romance (noting those which may be present only in a particular work)