Posted on 09/10/2005 10:50:09 AM PDT by DoughtyOne
FoxNews - on the Record w/Greta Van Susteren
September 9th, 2005
Transcript of an interview with Michael Baden, renowned Forensic Pathologist.
Van Susteren / Baden
Officials say the grim job of collecting and identifying the dead could take months. Are the dead bodies dangerous to those now collecting them? And how do you give the person dignity in death under these circumstances? And what about disease or even mosquitoes? Joining us live in New York is Forensic Pathologist Doctor Michael Baden.
Hi Gretta. Doc...
Good evening Doctor Baden.
Doctor Baden, earlier in the show Trace Gallager my colleague talked about the mosquitoes that have now descended upon New Orleans once again having been swept away by the storm. What's the problem with mosquitoes pose?
The mosquitoes can carry West Nile Virus and some of the encephalitis diseases, but that's the reason they should have been spraying for mosquitoes days ago. I think it's an outrage that they haven't started aerial spraying for mosquitoes, which is something that is commonly done even when there aren't hurricanes in New Orleans because of the breading grounds there.
I think that the the focus on toxic water is is misinformed. That water isn't toxic unless you drink it. People walking through water, the worst they can get is a rash or something, and dragging people out of their homes because of toxic water ah I think is is wrong and squandering manpower. I have a number of doctor friends, ah including the former Health Commissioner in a New Orleans, who moved back into their homes in a New Orleans. Ah so ah getting people out is just a waste of time and it's based on misinformation.
Unintelligible word you say that the mosquitoes can carry West Nile, ah can meaning like one in a billion or common, I mean like how serious a problem is this?
Oh it can... remember they sprayed New York city a couple of years ago for West... the whole city of New York was sprayed because of ah ah ah the mosquitoes carrying West Nile. What has to happen is it has to be a conjunction between the mosquitoes and birds and the viruses ah can cause a serious problem ah in ah ah ah...
When you say serious, ten being the most serious like Oh my God we've got to got to do something right now and one being like do ya know well it's not that important unintelligible...
Oh no, the easiest thing now is have the Army go out, they have helicopters and they can very rapidly spray the city at very ah ah little cost and a it's an ideal time to spray. There's nobody there even though the sprays themselves don't harm people and I think they they can be dozens or ah you know ah hundreds of cases depending on the circumstances. It won't be thousands of cases. But ah, it's a serious condition, other cities have been sprayed with less of ah a ah ah potential for danger.
Alright, we only have thirty seconds left Doctor Baden. If ah people are going down to New Orleans they need shots?
No, they don't... they don't have Tetanus in New Orleans. Tetanus ah and Hepatitis if they don't treat the water... ah I've been advised by my colleagues in New Orleans that ah ah at this time Tetanus and Hepatitis ah immunizations are unnecessary even though they're being given out and all that ah... and Typhoid is unnecessary also. It gives you a sore arm.
Alright Doctor Baden, thank you sir.
Thank you.
Transcribed by D1
I agree.
This is the comment I sought to address. Until the water goes down, I'm not for forcing people to go back home.
Do they have as much right to access their homes as those who remain in their homes? Yes I believe they do, however having taken the step to leave their home, I would not facilitate returning them now.
The rescue workers should be able to focus their attention on the ill, the dead, the removal of the water and the restoration of power and some semblence of normalcy.
Then I'd let more people into the area.
The public officials may not like it, but at some point water trucks may be necessary to service people when they return to their homes.
My trading resembles something more like outsider trading.
"Sunnyside you never fail to be on the wrong side of an issue!"
...
And the right side of every issue would be of course, YOUR view (drone). Unlike you who views everyone and thing as if it were simply hypothetical paper work, I don't view human lives and their health simply as "issues", that would be the easy way out.
You know best for everyone and whatever you do - don't apply the CONSTITUTION to it - after all is the law of the land. Of course if the Constitution was to hit you in the head you wouldn't know what it was.
The scary thing is that you can't even see the DANGER of the government NOT FOLLOWING ITS OWN LAWS. The post 2000 freeper is unable to comprehend that Hillary is only 200,000 votes in Ohio from winning the next election and if Bush can ignore the Constitution she can too.
I highly doubt that. BTW, we live in a city with a refinery. Should we leave town too?! We have lived here our entire lives and it hasn't killed us yet.
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