Ricin in South Carolina

CDC | 10/24/03 | CDC

[urodoc]

CDC Alert on Ricin--South Carolina

The United States Postal Service, in conjunction with federal and state law enforcement and public health officials, identified an unmarked andsealed envelope containing a threatening note and a sealed container believed to contain a toxic substance at a small postal handling facility in Greenville, South Carolina.

The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the substance was the toxin Ricin.

The facility was closed and CDC conducted environmental testing. The results of the environmental testing were negative for the presence of Ricin. There are no indications of employee exposure or of adverse health effects as a result of this incident. A criminal investigation by the FBI and US Postal Inspection Service is currently underway.

Ricin is a potent biologic toxin that is derived from castor beans. Inhalation of Ricin or of abrin, which is a closely related toxin, typically leads to cough and respiratory distress followed by pulmonary edema, respiratory failure, and multisystem organ failure. Weakness and influenza-like symptoms of fever, myalgia, and arthralgia may also be reported.

For an overview of Ricin, including signs, symptoms, and treatment, please visit http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/ricin/index.asp.

[My Favorite Headache]

Again?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I can't believe the Postal Service and CDC are getting so worked up over finding rice in South Carolina. Don't they realize that during the Colonial Period, South Carolina was the largest producer of rice in America?

I'm sick and tired of these governmental agencies overreacting, spreading fear and . . .

What? It wasn't rice they found? It was ricin, a deadly poison? Never mind.

[nuffsenuff]

This is probably the confirmation of the field test that identified the questionable envelope the other day.

And this is really frightening.

Ricin is no joke. You only need a few micro's of that stuff to cause death.

[Coop]

As I read it above, there was a note and a substance suspected to be ricin. Subsequent testing revealed no ricin. So that's a good thing, unless I'm reading it wrong.

[Coop]

The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the substance was the toxin Ricin. The facility was closed and CDC conducted environmental testing. The results of the environmental testing were negative for the presence of Ricin.

Okay, after reading it for the third time, I think now that the substance was identified as ricin, but the tests showed no leakage of the bio agent. But if true, this should be huge news.

[nuffsenuff]

Right. They found it on a letter and the substance on the letter was Ricin. But it did not contaminate the facility.

That's how I read it.

Either way. This is huge.

Someone is playing games with that stuff.

[goodnesswins]

Testing the Postal Agency???

[Gunslingr3]

Someone is playing games with that stuff.

It's not supposed to be particularly hard to extract from the castor beans, you just have to be careful not to poison yourself.

[nuffsenuff]

I don't care how easy it is to make.

Whoever did it is either playing games or out to hurt people. That's BS.

[Semper Paratus]

Nothing to see here, move on. Besides the FBI has some more swamps to drain in Maryland.

[FreeInWV]

The DOE facility in Morgantown, WV was closed today because of a suspicious substance. It was found in a fairly restricted area.

[nuffsenuff]

Really?

Got a link?

Any updates?

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

What's your source on this? Was it posted on the CDC's site?

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

What's your source on this? Was it posted on the CDC's site?

[genefromjersey]

This incident has been described as an "extortion plot"-having to do with trucking contracts; the party being "muscled" being the US government, or -more likely- one of its minor officials.

A few weeks ago, I noticed an odd correlation between a labor dispute (by gov't employees)on Plum Island - (a Dept. of Agriculture "high-security" post which studies dangerous animal diseases , and which was recently "taken over" by the Dept. of Homeland Security)- and security breaches cited by a GAO investigation.

I know there have been similar breaches -usually more embarassing than dangerous-at other high security gov't. installations, and wonder how many of them were related to ongoing labor disputes.

If anyone has first-hand information on the topic, I'd appreciate your response.

[FreeInWV]

Twas a false alarm. That facility uses the handicapped for cleaning services. One of them did something stupid.

[dixie sass]

Sorry, not funny in the least.

[dixie sass]

You scared me with that title. You could have titled it a bit more truthfully.

[dixie sass]

It's very contridictory. Remember the Japanese using Ricin in the subway station not that many years ago?