TIL in 1971, Saddam Hussein imported 95,000 tons of grain treated with fungicidal mercury. The grain was intended for planting, but the Iraqis, unable to understand the English and Spanish warnings or the "skull and crossbones" image, baked it into bread. Hundreds died.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1971_Iraq_poison_grain_disaster#Causes



Submitted February 22, 2015 at 10:42PM by garglemymarbles http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2wrvm1/til_in_1971_saddam_hussein_imported_95000_tons_of/