DMZ

I've been thinking about the implications of Hal's possible ingestion of DMZ (dimetridazole) and what illuminating significance this might have. I figured some clues from the text might become more noticeable given more knowledge about the drug, so I did some more-than-cursory research online. It turns out there's really not much to find, at least not about its use in humans. I found nothing at all to suggest its psychoactive effects, nor any relevance to direct human consumption, not even a suggestion thereof. Just about all I could find were implications for its use in animals, including studies on its use as an antiprotozoal and antifungal treatment in birds and pigs. Among those data is ample evidence that it is in fact toxic to animals (i.e., causes death). In fact it looks like most governments have outlawed its use in food-producing animals. Take this statement from the Australia's Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, for example:

In 2002 the APVMA (formerly the NRA) began a review of dimetridazole because of concerns relating to occupational health and safety, residues and toxicity. This action was based on the withdrawal of dimetridazole from use in food-producing animals in several countries.

In 2007 the APVMA released the Dimetridazole Review Report and Regulatory Decision (PDF, 629kb). The APVMA’s findings were that use of dimetridazole in food-producing animals posed a potential risk to human health.

To reduce the risk to the public the APVMA cancelled the use of dimetridazole in food-producing animals, and amended the labels of products used in non-food producing situations to include new safety directions and warning statements.

Given all of this information, it's alarming that any human would choose to take this drug or that it would even be available on the street (like DFW notes, it's near-impossible to find... but it would seem to me it should be actually impossible). Its psychoactive (i.e., having an impact on the brain) effects in humans seem doubtful to me, other than maybe a toxic delirium. (Confining oneself to horizontality and imagining being in a sarcophagus seem consistent with toxicity, I suppose.) Of course, its antifungal properties make sense in the context of IJ and Hal's childhood mold consumption, but who removed the drugs from where they were hidden? JOI's ghost? Hal? Did Hal really take the DMZ? I need to go back and read more of the details from earlier in the book about DMZ and the boys' plan, although I doubt there's much concrete evidence of anything.

Incidentally, I've been trying to figure out the significance of the Wardine passage early in the book, and Mikey at the end. I might be missing something. Anyone else have some ideas?