Home Science Under Attack In Massachusetts

An anonymous reader tips a guest posting up on the MAKE Magazine blog by the author of the Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments. It seems that authorities in Massachusetts have raided a home chemistry lab, apparently without a warrant, and made off with all of its contents. Here's the local article from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. "Victor Deeb, a retired chemist who lives in Marlboro, has finally been allowed to return to his Fremont Street home, after Massachusetts authorities spent three days ransacking his basement lab and making off with its contents. Deeb is not accused of making methamphetamine or other illegal drugs. He's not accused of aiding terrorists, synthesizing explosives, nor even of making illegal fireworks. Deeb fell afoul of the Massachusetts authorities for... doing experiments... Pamela Wilderman, the code enforcement officer for [the Massachusetts town of] Marlboro stated, 'I think Mr. Deeb has crossed a line somewhere. This is not what we would consider to be a customary home occupation.' Allow me to translate Ms. Wilderman's words into plain English: 'Mr. Deeb hasn't actually violated any law or regulation that I can find, but I don't like what he's doing because I'm ignorant and irrationally afraid of chemicals, so I'll abuse my power to steal his property and shut him down.'"

Comments

Re:Chemicals

[Entrope]

"[T]he home owner invited the cops in when he called the fire department"? Tell me, when you invite a friend over for a party, do you invite their roommate over to steal your television? If so, I'd like to make your acquaintance. I think I'd get a lot of other new friends.

Re:And they say ...

[TapeCutter]

"In 1857, at the age of 10, Thomas Edison set up a chemical laboratory in the cellar of his home. Good thing his house wasn't raided by the authorities."

Actually it's not a 'good thing' since a 'raid' on young Edisons lab may have saved his friends life.

After Edison set up the lab he convinced a younger friend to drink a mixture he had made by telling him it would make him fly. The child died from poisioning. As punishment his father dismantled the lab and took Thomas into town where he flogged him in public for his mis-deeds.

Edison did not have a lab for a few years until he started work on the railway (IIRC at age 14). He obtained permission to set up a lab in the caboose of a train for a while but after another chemical accident the train conductor slapped him on the side of the head so hard that it caused permenant deafness in one ear.