mad cow disease

[Guest guest]

I got this from another list, but because I think it is so important, I

am forwarding it to you. There is a follow-up which I will

send later. I hope that you see it's relevance.

Morton

 

drjoncat wrote:

 

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.

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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

healthycellular 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

thatcauses 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 been 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

cattletissue 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]

I really don't understand this - in the UK there have been a number of cases

of CJD (mad cow disease) reported and the patients demise has been slow and

painful and distressing for the whole family. The people this doctor is

reporting on have all died suddenly of apparent brain tumour/alzheimers. If

it is CJD, how come none of these patients were ill for any length of time?

Marianne

 

 

> 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!

>