Mystery kidney disease in Central America probably caused by

[Kai]

either exposure to pesticides and herbicides or chronic dehydration.

And I thought, really, chronic dehydration? Seems far more likely to be toxin related.

[Juana]

"I think that everything points away from pesticides," said Dr. Catharina Wesseling, an occupational and environmental epidemiologist who also is regional director of the Program on Work, Health and Environment in Central America. "It is too multinational; it is too spread out.

Ok, I'm going to have to come back to this (class is almost over and it'll be a while before I can get back), but what? I'm aware that different countries ban different pesticides, but I don't see why this in itself rules out the possibility of a toxic origin.

[Kai]

"I think that everything points away from pesticides," said Dr. Catharina Wesseling, an occupational and environmental epidemiologist who also is regional director of the Program on Work, Health and Environment in Central America. "It is too multinational; it is too spread out.

Ok, I'm going to have to come back to this (class is almost over and it'll be a while before I can get back), but what? I'm aware that different countries ban different pesticides, but I don't see why this in itself rules out the possibility of a toxic origin.

I agree. It's a just so story. Let's see strong inference rejecting multiple hypotheses until there is only one remaining.

[Richter]

either exposure to pesticides and herbicides or chronic dehydration.

And I thought, really, chronic dehydration? Seems far more likely to be toxin related.

The way most people swill diuretics, I wouldn't be surprised by dehydration at all, actually.  Then again, dehydration will likely worsen any toxin exposure.