On the night of December 2, 1984, the methyl isocyanate (MIC) plant of the Union Carbide Corporation chemical factory in Bhopal, India, severely malfunctioned during routine maintenance. The resulting explosion at the plant dispersed clouds of MIC—a toxic chemical used in the production of insecticides and herbicides—combined with other poisonous chemicals over the city. According to some estimates, six thousand men, women, and children were killed within the first three days of the accident, while deaths to date are estimated at over twenty thousand. The Indian Council of Medical Research has concluded that over half a million people were exposed to the toxic chemicals, many of whom suffered permanent damage to their lungs, eyes, muscles, and reproductive systems. Critics charged that Union Carbide was negligent in maintaining the plant’s safety systems, and the company settled a suit with...