Guest guest Posted October 8, 2001 Report Share Posted October 8, 2001 GOT ANTHRAX? Two Florida men have, and that may just be the tip of that iceberg whose bulk lays hidden beneath troubled waters. http://www.msnbc.com/news/638169.asp?0cm=c30 Seven weeks ago, I wrote a column predicting a possible ANTHRAX epidemic in America. It perplexed me that Europeans would find it necessary to kill millions of farm animals because of Foot and Mouth Disease, which humans rarely catch, while there was an anthrax epidemic in America that few people even knew about. While Foot and Mouth Disease plagued England, American meat producers feared that an outbreak in the United States would mean an end to our meat industry. Compared to anthrax, Foot and Mouth Disease is that cute little baby dog playing with a ball of string in the front window of the mega mall puppy mill store. Anthrax is Stephen King's CUJO with an acute case of manic depression. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to contain the anthrax epidemic story. That news blackout protects the meat industry from a food panic, the likes of which has never been experienced in America. The Pentagon considers anthrax to be one of the most deadly of all biological weapons. Which brings us to the state of terror in the state of Minnesota. On August 19, 2001, an online version of the Minnesota Star Tribune newspaper reported: " ANTHRAX BLAMED FOR CATTLE DEATHS " State officials discovered anthrax infected cattle in 12 different herds throughout northwestern Minnesota. Initially, 85 animals were destroyed. Entire herds were quarantined. Then the news stopped. Dairy cows were infected. How delicious does Land O'Lakes butter sound to you? Did you know that the Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Company is headquartered in Minnesota? How about a cup of their new Super-Max anthrax? HOW DOES ONE GET ANTHRAX? Anthrax infection can occur in three ways: Through skin, inhalation, and through food. Anthrax spores can live in the soil for many years, and humans can become infected by inhaling anthrax from contaminated animal products. Humans can also get anthrax by eating meat from infected animals. According to Minnesota investigators, the anthrax is spreading to deer. Will the deer carry the disease deep into the woods and spread deadly spores to other farms? Robert Cohen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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