butternut_squash_bisque, "No Soap for you!"
Posted on 02/25/2006 4:48:19 AM PST by genefromjersey
Edited on 02/25/2006 5:53:54 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Updated story from Yahoo News & AP:
Ricin Discovered in Texas Dormitory
AUSTIN - A University of Texas student found a substance that has tested positive for ricin, a potentially deadly poison, in a roll of quarters she was using to do laundry in her dormitory, officials said.
The student and her roommate were being treated for potential exposure to the poison, although neither has exhibited symptoms, said Dr. Theresa Spalding of UT Student Health Services.
The student told university police she found the chunky powder Thursday as she was doing her laundry at the Moore-Hill dormitory, Spalding said. Preliminary tests for ricin came back positive Friday.
"We were very concerned as soon as we heard about the positive testing late this evening," Spalding said. She said the quarters had been in the students' dorm room for several months.
Ricin is extracted from castor beans and can be added to food or water, injected or sprayed as an aerosol. It can be in the form of a powder, mist, pellet, or it can be dissolved in water or weak acid.
Symptoms can include anything from difficulty breathing, fever, cough, nausea and sweating to severe vomiting and dehydration.
The dorm was sanitized and inspected, and students were cleared to return, the university said.
Ricin Discovered in Texas Dormitory
____
AUSTIN - A substance discovered by a student in a University of Texas dormitory has tested positive for ricin, a potentially deadly poison, officials said.
The chunky powder was found at the Moore-Hill dormitory Thursday and reported to university police, officials said. Tests for ricin came back positive Friday. Officials don't know where it came from, said campus police spokeswoman Rhonda Weldon.
Does this plant grow in a vine, have a blue flower, purple seed pods and the leaves appear somewhat purplish?
Does anyone else find it a bit strange that a ricin vaccine breakthrough was announced in North Texas (UT) just a few weeks ago and now we have this discovery of ricin at a UT dorm?
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/wfaa060130_mo_ricin.5509d488.html
sorry..the link did not work.
Here is the article:
Dallas human trial of ricin vaccine successful
10:59 PM CST on Monday, January 30, 2006
By JANET ST. JAMES / WFAA-TV
A scientific discovery in North Texas could be one of the biggest breakthroughs in bioterrorism in years.
Researchers in Dallas have tested the first vaccine for the deadly agent ricin that currently has no antidote and is almost always fatal.
Also Online
Janet St. James reports
Jeff Waugh was a living experiment for the research against bioterrorism. Last year, he was one of 15 people who received a test vaccine for ricin.
He said he never felt in danger.
"Little bit of pain in the arm just like any shot, but that was it," Waugh said.
Scientists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center developed the vaccine because of the potential hazards ricin poses to people. Ricin is a deadly toxin made from the bean of the castor plant, which makes castor oil.
The toxin can be put in food and water or sprayed as an aerosol.
Researchers felt the urgency after two years ago ricin powder was discovered in the mail room of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.
"That's the whole point of a vaccine, it acts partially as a deterrent for people who want to do bad things and it can also protect people who are in the line of fire like soldiers," said Dr. Ellen Vitetta, ricin researcher.
The UT Southwestern vaccine safely and effectively protected against ricin poisoning.
And while Waugh doesn't consider himself a target for bioterrorism, he said he does consider himself a soldier in the fight against it.
"Just the knowledge that this is out there and I had a part in it is a great thing," he said.
However, the tests were just a small phase one human trial, which means larger trials will be needed.
But the Federal Drug Administration and the federal government are already excited and interested in the ricin vaccine for much broader development and potential use for soldiers.
bttt
Interesting..they already have a company formed to sell the vaccine(patents)...
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=108028
This is NOT the first incident I've seen of 'create the headache to sell the aspirin' either. JMO
"This is NOT the first incident I've seen of 'create the headache to sell the aspirin' either. JMO"
They should at least look into each and every person working on this vaccine in North Texas. Who had access to the ricin used in the lab, etc.... Not sure we should jump to any conclusions about the company, but it is a bit strange.
AGREED.
BTTT
It's an easy 3-step process, but the *delivery system* is a lot more complicated.
Company profile:
http://www.dorbiopharma.com/index.html
Gen. Alexander Haig is on the advisory board. (I am a big fan of Haig). The 'authorities' need to look at the people at the research level(imho). I doubt seriously this is an organized corporate conspiracy.
LOL! Yeah. I'm going to listen to a newbie named Butternut Squash? In any growing zone other than 7 and higher, the growing season isn't long enough and a plant won't mature enough to produce decent seed, anyway.
Guess they've never lived on a farm with teenagers. There's always LOTS of interesting stuff growing "down in the pasture." FIL is still finding "wildweed" growing from when DH & his brothers were growing up on the farm. ;)
Oh, you got me! Thomas Jefferson introduced Hyacinth Bean to America. THAT'S the plant he grew, not Castor Bean. I posted that this morning before I had my second cup of coffee. My bad. :)
And yes, Hyacinth Bean grows just like a pole green bean, but has purplish heart-shaped leaves and gorgeous pinkish blossoms. People use it as a decorative vine inthe garden. The Hyacinth Bean seeds can be eaten, but they're the ones that need to be rinsed and boiled, rinsed and boiled before eating.
Sorry if I confused anyone. People DON'T generally eat Castor Beans. Again, my mistake!
Well the good news is they have a biodefense contract and have been working on the Ricin vaccine for years.
Annual Report.
http://www.secinfo.com/dxpnj.z9.htm
So maybe this was a coincidence.
When castor beans are outlawed, only disgruntled immigrant husbands and college coeds with money needing laundering will have ricin.
The development of the ricin vaccine at UT DALLAS was in the news a few weeks ago.
Two days ago some ricin was found at UT AUSTIN.
The roll of quarters containing the ricin was supposedly laying around for "months".
Ricin is not anywhere near as dangerous as anthrax.
The most likely scenario is that some nutcase student at UT Austin was set off by the news from UT Dallas and decided to play a "prank". The girl who found the ricin was probably a "target of opportunity", i.e, someone who left her room door open.
It doesn't seem likely this was done by any true terrorist.
The culprit evidently removed some quarters from a roll, put in the ricin, put back some of the quarters, and then left it for the female student to find. The fact that it took her weeks or months to find it probably says it was a "geek" who gets a charge out of the anticipation, rather than some boyfriend or mental case or terrorist who would want immediate response.
There's no way the ricin could have come from a bank. Here's a picutre of a "typical" roll of quarters from a bank:
Ed
Neither do I go around killing rattlesnakes because they might harm children and animals. Some things are just there.
"So maybe this was a coincidence."
They should still start looking at the people working at the labs at UT in Dallas and any links with labs at UT Austin working with ricin in any form or fashion. Then again..I have been watching the last season of 24 the last few days...lol and am now in a perpetual state of paranoia...LOL
It may be an option to have the bank's name printed on the roll, which could explain why they believe it was from a "non-local bank".
Ed
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