Posted on 10/22/2001 1:59:55 PM PDT by proud American in Canada
Hi,
Earlier today someone suggested that terrorists could be putting the smallpox virus in all those bags of candy that were purchased. I was wondering, if smallpox is put in such bags, how long could it remain "viable," or able to infect someone? I'm curious b/c I wrote an article about it and I want to get it right.
This virus is quite persistent..from Jane's NBC Defence Systems, under Variola Virus, page 16(1998-1999), posted under fair use... "Epidemicity is high, depending on the immunity status of populationand exposure to the disease. The virus is viable in water for several years at 22 to 27øC and isresistant in dry or wet form to very low temperatures. In the drystate it is more resistant than in the wet state. Decontamination canbe effected by exposure to alcohol and acetone for one hour at roomtemperature, but the virus is resistant to some other disinfectants. Moist heat above 78øC and dry heat above 118øC are effective in 10minutes."
Unfortunately, there is nothing listed in the NBC Guidebook except the alcohol and acetone mix for one hour quoted, which is obviously an equipment decontamination. The standard decontamination for skin offered for BW weapons is a 1 to 10 mix of off the shelf bleach to water (this renders a 0.5 % sodium hypochloride solution) which is to be applied for 15 to 20 minutes. I've also heard that this recommendation is going to be increased to a 15% mix, due to the increased persitence of some weaponized BW agents. 5% is recommended for equipment, which is almost straight from the bottle for off the shelf bleach (Chlorox, for instance is actually 5.25% as sold). I have also seen UV rays for recommended clothing. The acetone and 'alcohol for an hour',however, tells me this is some pretty hot stuff.
I know that is not exactly what you asked but it is good information. Hope it helps.
From Saddam Hussein, for starters...the thread I mentioned contained a reference to a 60 minutes show that reported that he had smallpox. And we know that it was either Al Quaeda or the Taliban who met with Iraqi officials last February....
THIS IS DEAD WRONG! Smallpox is NOT easily treated, ever. It is deadly, 30% of everyone who gets it by any means ends up DEAD.
You must get a smallpox vaccination immediately if you are infected! Even them you are likely to get VERY VERY sick.
Do not minimize this unless you know from whence you speak!
Regards, Lurking'
from http://www.fas.org/news/cuba/oagmc026.htm
CUBA, CUBA, CUBA, All roads lead to Castro again.
SMALL POX AND HALLOWEEN CANDY- A short primer on viral disease transmission
Crap, I'd overlooked that. AM/PMs, 7/11s...
Crap.
I've heard that for the time being the Feds are going to try and dilute the existing15 million doses of smallpox vaccine into 75 million. If there's a smallpox outbreak anywhere, they'll create an epidemioligical firewall with a rapid response of vaccinations.
Probably the best short-term plan, until a new generation of vaccines can be ramped up.
But here's a thought... cowpox vaccines can provide resistance, no?
While the feds keep their 75 million doses in strategic reserve, couldn't cowpox vaccines be used in the interim?
Also, they envy our country's success, if they attacked us on Halloween, they could score points with their followers by saying we are finally getting our just desserts for our evil ways.
I also read on an apologetics siteIs Allah the God of the Bible? that the koran says that Allah is the author of evil in contrast to our God. I'm reminded of those witch doctors in Haiti who say that someone becomes a zombie because they did something wrong, and actually they turned them into a zombie by using a concoction on them, (as in the book the Serpent and the Rainbow by that ethnobotanist, I can't think of his name), but that's a similar religion that uses extreme control and deceiving the people.
See this Halloween flyer I found on a Young Muslim website: Thought-provoking Bits from Islamic Literature
* What's HALLOWEEN all about?*
Ah, October-if you haven’t seen it already, malls, schools, and grocery stores will soon be decorated in garish orange and black paraphernalia in preparation for the age old ritual of Halloween. What tugs the heartstrings though, is not the gaudy decorations, the sales of cavity-inducing candy and plastic pumpkins, but the adorable children dressed like Pokemon, the Teletubbies, Spiderman or Wonderwoman. Oh, and let’s not forget: devils and witches.
But behind this madness, there is a method. A method of Shirk (making partners with Allah), that is. Halloween, as a Islamic scholar, Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick, explains in the video Holiday Myths (produced by Sound Vision), is really about Celtic rituals associated with Satan and evil.
Halloween has evolved and been influenced by a number of different cultures and religions, the most important of which are paganism, the Romans, the Celts (the people of Ireland, Scotland, Britain, Wales) and Christianity. However, almost all of the traditions surrounding Halloween as we know it today can be traced back to the Celtic Day of the Dead, a pagan holiday.
Samhain was the name of the Druid god of the dead. The Druids were a religious order amongst the Celts. On this day (Oct. 31st), they would try to appease their Lord of Death. These Druids also believed that witches rode on broom sticks and that ghosts were the cause of supernatural occurrences.
The belief was that on the eve of the Celtic New Year (which for them was October 31), the souls of the dead people roamed the land of the living. The Devil, spirits and witches were also believed to be moving about and at the height of their power.
Halloween was also a time for MAJOR Shirk (making partners with Allah). There were games and rituals which involved fortune-telling Young people, for instance, would try to see what their marriage prospects were, using omens like apple pairings that were thrown over their shoulders, or nuts being burned in a fire.
Then the Christian Pope, in the eight century, decided to Christianize this pagan holiday since he wanted people to abandon the occult and idolatrous practices associated with it, and made November 1, All Saints' Day or All Hallows' (Holy) Day. This is a day to remember all of the Christians who died for their faith. October 31 was then considered All Hallow’s Eve, and this word later evolved into the modern day Halloween!
Following is some advice to Muslims for Halloween, by Dr. A. Hakim Quick (now in South Africa):
1. Avoid it, it’s a night of evil. Shaytan (Satan) is our open enemy and we do not play with evil.
2. Trick-or-treating is really kids begging for candy. Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked and discouraged begging.
3. Remember that Satanic movements have engaged in dangerous acts, like rape and kidnapping on Halloween.
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