Fw: Dr Jon's letter Mad Cow Disease-a Cover Up?

[Guest guest]

I read this,too Alobar.

In a message dated 1/13/02 5:03:46 PM, alobar writes:

 

<< I am forwarding this from Dr.Jon's list. No idea if this is real

 

or paranoia here, but it does make one more reason for me to stick with

 

organic meat.

 

 

Alobar

 

 

>>

[Guest guest]

I am forwarding this from Dr.Jon's list. No idea if this is real

or paranoia here, but it does make one more reason for me to stick with

organic meat.

 

Alobar

 

 

-

" drjoncat " <drjoncat

<drjoncat >

Sunday, January 13, 2002 2:14 PM

Dr Jon's letter Mad Cow Disease-a Cover Up?

 

 

Recently I have received several emails from those claiming that Mad

Cow disease is indeed in the USA. These were not the typical

activist baloney, rather thoughtful people who are concerned. One

physician wrote that a patient's Mother had suddenly died in a

Florida hospital. . . of a brain tumor, which does normally cause a

rapid demise. They were suspicious and ordered an autopsy. It

revealed Mad Cow disease!

 

The attending physician privately confirmed that he had 13 such cases

which he was obliged, under orders, to diagnose as a brain tumor or

Alzheimer's disease.

 

If there is infestation in the USA, disclosing it publically would

destroy the cattle industry and cause panic. Supressing the

information wouldn't be discovered until symptoms appeared in mass,

which can take 4-10 years.

 

I am definately not paranoid but I am beginning to wonder if some

massive cover up, from the top, is underway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following was taken, in part, from a publication of The American

Humane Society.

 

What Is Mad Cow Disease (technically known as Bovine Spongiform

Encephalopathy or SCE)?

 

Spongiform encephalopathies are nervous system disorders in which

nerve cells of the brain die, causing the brain to assume a sponge-

like appearance. BSE is the term applied to this malady as it affects

cows and was first recognized in November 1986. Affected cows show

clinical signs such as belligerence, confusion and poor coordination.

A brain biopsy is presently the only way to confirm a BSE diagnosis.

 

What causes BSE?

 

Scientists call the agent believed to cause BSE a " prion, " an

infectious protein lacking nucleic acid. Prions are thought to

multiply by setting off a chain reaction that damages nearby healthy

cellular proteins, converting normal proteins into abnormal ones.

 

Traditional methods to destroy microbes do NOT work on prions. They

show resistance to normal forms of sterilization, such as common

disinfectants, ultraviolet or ionizing radiation, and autoclaving.

And contaminated tissue samples fixed in formalin have been found to

still be infectious.

 

How is it Transmitted to Cows?

 

Prions are transmissible to other species including sheep and

primates. For several centuries, a form of spongiform encephalopathy

called scrapie has been known to afflict sheep.

 

For the past half century, there has been a trend toward intensified

production of livestock raised for consumption. To find a use for the

vast tonnage of condemned and inedible remains of slaughtered

animals, they are rendered down and the protein residue is fed to

billions of poultry, pigs, milk cows and beef cattle.

 

Some animals that are slaughtered are diseased. Since the agent that

causes spongiform encephalopathy is not easily detected or destroyed,

it can end up in animal feed. The brain, spinal cord, thymus, spleen

and tonsils are the parts most suspect for contamination. There is

also supporting evidence that the infectious agent of BSE can be

passed form an infected cow to her unborn calf.

 

In Britain, where mad cow disease is most prevalent, over 160,000

cattle have been stricken with it. Infected cattle also have ben

found in numerous other countries including France, Italy, Germany,

Switzerland, Ireland, Canada, Portugal, and Denmark.

 

There is no evidence that Oriental cattle are contaminated.

 

How are Humans Affected?

 

The period between infection and clinical symptoms of BSE in cattle

averages 4 ½ years. During this incubation period the agent can be

transmitted. Asymptomatic animals who are infected may be slaughtered

and enter the human food supply.

 

What is the Human Form of Encephalopathy?

 

The most common form of Human Spongiform Encephalopathy (HSE) is

Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD). The average age of onset of

symptoms is sixty-five. However, 85% of HSE randomly occurs with no

known cause. Clinical signs include impairment of thought, sight, and

movement due to the destruction of brain cells, and a dementia

resembling that of Alzheimer's disease. Muscle spasms occur, creating

rigidity and jerkiness, and there is a loss of balance. Death is

inevitable and swift, usually within months.

 

The is a new form of HSE. It differs from CJD in that there is no

genetic predisposition, it has a 10 year incubation period, the

microscopic appearance of the diseased nerve cells is different, and

victims die within one year of exhibiting symptoms. As with cattle,

the primary symptom is dementia. HSE can very easily be confused

with Alzheimer's disease, which millions of people are diagnosed with

each year. The cause of dementia is reportedly misdiagnosed 25% of

the time. A postmortem microscopic examination of the brain is

presently the only method available to confirm a diagnosis of HSE.

 

Is the Problem Under Control in the United States?

 

Some cattle imported from Britain before the 1989 ban are still here.

Sheep scrapie (which has been implicated as the cause of BSE) also

exists here. Despite the voluntary ban on sheep byproducts in cattle

feed, FDA officials admit it is very difficult to verify compliance

because there is no way to test a rendered product for sheep

content. Therefore, potentially infectious animal tissue is still

being fed to cattle, and infected by asymptomatic animals may still

enter the human food supply.

 

Additionally, some three dozen marketed drugs are derived from cattle

tissue and organs, and hundreds more contain bovine blood. Gelatin,

derived from cattle hooves, hides and bones is an ingredient of many

foods and drugs and is used to make capsules. The FDA is now

considering formalizing a ban on the use of pharmaceutical gelatin

imported from countries with BSE.

 

What Can I Do to Reduce My Risk of Acquiring HSE?

 

The best way to protect yourself is to eliminate from your diet any

source of beef that may be contaminated. Intensive livestock

production systems may promote BSE (because animals in intensive

confinement are more likely to be fed animal remains). Therefore,

eliminating meat from intensive confinement or factory farms is a

good start. Some organic cattle farmers in Britain believe that

organophosphate pesticides, widely used on other cattle, may play a

role in BSE. There have been NO DOCUMENTED CASES of BSE in cows who

have been born and raised on organic farms.

 

The best way of knowing what is going into your food is to know where

your food comes from. Whenever possible, buy locally grown food from

organic and sustainable formers and ranchers. Let your grocers know

that you want to buy local, organic produce, and animal products

obtained through more humane and sustainable production methods.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several months ago I advised manufacturers to specify Oriental cattle

as a source for any cattle parts used in their formulas. I thought

the risk was very small but decided the insurance was worth a bit

more. Most ignored me . . . because the price would have to be

increased.

 

If you take any gelatin capsules I would recommend you restrict to

only gelatin from Oriental cows. One can usually get their

supplement in vegie capsules. Veggie capsules cost more to produce,

but does a few cents/bottle really matter?

 

If you take one of the very popular, and effective, joint pain

formulas, which contain chondroitin, you are ingesting cattle parts.

If the label does not specifically state, " Chondroitin from Oriental

sources. " , you may be taking a risk.

 

I have never wanted, so very much, to be wrong.

 

Jon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Evening Alobar,

 

At 02:54 PM 01/13/2002 -0600, you wrote:

> I am forwarding this from Dr.Jon's list. No idea if this is real

>or paranoia here, but it does make one more reason for me to stick with

>organic meat.

 

I have studied this disease more than most. It looks real to

me. Actually, it is

" watered down " a bit.

 

This stuff does exist in the USA. An old friend of mine died with it

last year. One other death was reported by a nurse in a hospital. Neither

of these deaths made the news as caused by

this disease.

 

This person that died has traveled extensively in the US and Canada. He

was a hard core big game hunter and was a licensed guide. Likely he

contacted this from some big game animals.

 

Or.... it could have simply been from commercial beef.

 

We are all subjects, suspects, targets, and pawns. What shall we do,

other than what you suggested, eat zero commercail beef. Actually, I am a

bit fearful of eating wild game such as deer, elk, moose, or whatever.

 

Wayne