# Equal (aspartame) - bleeding eyes warning on packaging
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equal-aspartame-bleeding-eyes-warning-on-packaging/376103
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 11, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equal-aspartame-bleeding-eyes-warning-on-packaging/376103 "2006-10-11T20:54:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equal-aspartame-bleeding-eyes-warning-on-packaging/376103/21 "2006-10-12T21:34:23Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord]
The eye bleeding could also be because it thined the blood and prevented clotting.
Aspartame was originaly researched for it’s use in war as a nurotoxin, but you won’t see that on the package.
[/QUOTE]
Aspartame was first discovered in 1965, during research in ulcer prevention. I knew one of the researchers from Searle labs, where it was first discovered by accident.
Wikipedia isn’t the greatest cite, I know, but [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame#Discovery_and_approval) is a short history of it’s discovery.
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### Author:  [@Carnacki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnacki)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2006, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equal-aspartame-bleeding-eyes-warning-on-packaging/376103/22 "2006-10-12T21:44:44Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse]
Aspartame was first discovered in 1965, during research in ulcer prevention. I knew one of the researchers from Searle labs, where it was first discovered by accident.
Wikipedia isn’t the greatest cite, I know, but [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame#Discovery_and_approval) is a short history of it’s discovery.
[/QUOTE]
I’m pretty sure “Ulcer Prevention” is the name of a top secret government project to create a Neurotoxic agent for use in war. I don’t have a cite, but it just _feels_ right.
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### Author:  [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2006, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equal-aspartame-bleeding-eyes-warning-on-packaging/376103/23 "2006-10-12T23:25:33Z")
[QUOTE=KidScruffy]
I’m pretty sure “Ulcer Prevention” is the name of a top secret government project to create a Neurotoxic agent for use in war. I don’t have a cite, but it just _feels_ right.
[/QUOTE]
Well, my friend at Searle, was an anti-war demonstrator. He would have moved to Canada if he’d been called up, but college and medical school protected him, until he got too old.
I’m fairly certain he wouldn’t be party to such goings on. He was very proud of Aspartame.
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### Author:  [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equal-aspartame-bleeding-eyes-warning-on-packaging/376103/24 "2006-10-13T13:54:52Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord]
NO, your not getting it. I’m not interested enough to care if it can be proved to your satisfaction. Please feel free to ignore it you want, that’s fine with me. I would research a topic I thought was worth it, and this ain’t one of them. You may continue to post as much as you want after this, but it’s a dead horse to me, and I ain’t staying around to beat a dead horse.
[/QUOTE]
Come on. You made a claim. If you can’t back it up, don’t be surprised if we all assume that you just made up up yourself.
Anybody who may be reading this thread, please rest assured that aspartame was _never_ “researched for it’s use in war as a nurotoxin.”
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