In 1980, two children and 29 crew members aboard a grain freighter became ill. They had been exposed to phosphine – a chemical used in fumigation to kill pests in and on grain – for four days.

Phosphine gas exposure can cause symptoms including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, thirst, chest tightness, breathing difficulty, muscle pain, chills and pulmonary congestion. A severe ...