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Anthrax Hits Daschle Staffers - first full story
AP | Wednesday, October 17, 2001

Posted on 10/17/2001 6:44:12 AM PDT by JohnHuang2

WASHINGTON (AP) - More than 20 people in Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office have tested positive for exposure to anthrax, sources said Wednesday.

The tests were conducted after a letter sent to Daschle's office was found to contain a highly refined form of anthrax, suggesting it was produced by experts.

One official with direct knowledge of the test results said 22 Daschle staffers had tested positive for exposure to anthrax. All of them are taking the antibiotic Cipro. Another source said that more than 20 had tested positive. Both sources insisted on anonymity.

The FBI is investigating strong similarities in handwriting and style, including identical anti-American language, between the letter sent to Daschle in Washington and a letter with anthrax sent to NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw in New York.

Elsewhere in the country, four people are known to have contracted anthrax and nine others have tested positive for the bacteria.

Hundreds of people were tested Tuesday after the suspicious letter was opened in Daschle's office Monday. Nasal swabs were used on the staffers to see if there were any anthrax spores in their noses. A positive finding does not mean the person has the disease or will get the disease.

About 8,000 spores must be inhaled for a person to develop inhalation anthrax.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., said about 200 people on Capitol Hill are taking Cipro because of the anthrax scare, including himself.

Lieberman, who has not tested positive for anthrax exposure, said during a CNN interview on Wednesday that his taking the antibiotic ``is probably unnecessary, but why not?''

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said of the anthrax scare: ``There's no question that right now we are in a period of the unknown.''

For Education And Discussion Only. Not For Commercial Use.



TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
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To: Sabertooth
"What does "tested positive for exposure" mean? Do they have anthrax, or just the antibodies?"

Neither. The swabs or other field tests indicate the prescence of the bacteria on them (or in them). They may or may not develope the anti-bodies, and they may or may not develop an infection.

61 posted on 10/17/2001 7:16:00 AM PDT by ironman
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To: surfer
Years ago, after a life-threatening infection I developed from a dog bite, I took keflex, then had to take massive quantities of penicillin intravenously. It saved my life, but I was tired for many, many months. I was also glad that I had not abused antibiotics in the past b/c I needed them to save my life from this infection. They should only be used with care and I have been concerned about some of the advice I've heard.
62 posted on 10/17/2001 7:17:09 AM PDT by twigs
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Comment #63 Removed by Moderator

To: Sabertooth
What does "tested positive for exposure" mean? Do they have anthrax, or just the antibodies?

It means just that -- these are preliminary results. More tests need to be conducted since the first results could be false.

64 posted on 10/17/2001 7:17:22 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
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To: wimpycat
Yeah, I heard it was Grade-A, primo stuff that was used on Daschle's office. It doesn't matter to me that I can't stand his politics, but I would personally administer 'justice' to whoever is responsible for this if I could. This is beyond politics--this is Americans being attacked because we're Americans.

Amen to that.

65 posted on 10/17/2001 7:18:29 AM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: Illbay
And then there were those "enemies of Bill" who in 1991, had a jet slam into their office building.

Good point. Clinton was the most hated president in US history. It is amazing he survived. I had to personally talk people out of armed resistance against him. Bill protected the White House better but that event did not trigger his consideration for other possible targets, did it?

66 posted on 10/17/2001 7:18:45 AM PDT by Arthur Wildfire! March
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To: JohnHuang2
Lieberman, who has not tested positive for anthrax exposure, said during a CNN interview on Wednesday that his taking the antibiotic ``is probably unnecessary, but why not?''

Isn't this precisely what the Health Department and all of our doctors have been telling us NOT TO DO?

67 posted on 10/17/2001 7:22:52 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: Polybius
"turning the Democrats from Kumbaya-singing Peaceniks into "Nukem-till-they glow" war mongers"

Most excellent comment!

68 posted on 10/17/2001 7:23:53 AM PDT by DrJasper
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To: Savage Beast
The "clowns" were quite possibly exposed to anthrax. Why would you not have them take Cipro?
69 posted on 10/17/2001 7:28:29 AM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: right_to_defend
To give an example - just one breath of second hand cigarette smoke transports MILLIONS of smoke particles into your lungs

Now there's a thought! What if they start lacing cigarettes?

Seriously, I heard on TV that we are supposed to IRON our mail when in doubt. Several passes with a steam iron will kill Anthrax spores.

71 posted on 10/17/2001 7:31:04 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: cajungirl
It is peculiar but I think there are two groups that are sendiing this stuff out and they have anthrax from two different sources, one potent and one pretty weak.

Whats even more peculiar is that the handwriting on the envelopes sent to Daschele and Brokaw was the same and both were postmarked in the same town in Jersey but Daschele's contained weapons grade anthrax and Brokaw's a weker, less refined sample.

I don't get that one.

72 posted on 10/17/2001 7:33:39 AM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: JohnHuang2
Other FReepers have speculated that the reason the enemy chose liberal targets is to engender suspicion, in the media and political circles, that the VRWC might behind these terrorist acts. It's the enemy's bid to pit American against American.

I don't think so. They see liberals as the worst of the infidels because liberals support "a more open and tolerant society." Attaching liberals may not make sense strategically for the terrorist from our point of view. But if their goal is all out war with us hoping to motivate the rest of the Muslim world to join in it makes sense to attach those most likely to want a truce. The terrorists will do anything they can to keep us at war with them. The more people get killed the better. They know their only chance to defeat and destroy us is to get the rest of the Muslim world to pick their side and fight against the US and Israel.

73 posted on 10/17/2001 7:33:47 AM PDT by resistance
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To: steve-b
widespread stockpiling is clearly a necessary preparation for an effective response to a massive attack
In the long-term this is true. However, I think that in the short-term it's not.

Widespread stockpiling is absolutely impossible in the short term, considering our current supply. There is no such thing as "widespread stockpiling" in 2001 - there is only "isolated stockpiling" that leaves a very limited population safe and a much greater population massively vulnerable. This would, in turn, present multiple clear targets for attack.

In the short term (this year) the most effective plan that can realistically be implemented is "strategic stockpiling" - stockpiling in strategc rapid-response locations - coupled with ready avaibility throughout the country. This allows for an evenly distributed, limited vulnerability. The even distribution prevents wide-open targets; the limited vulnerability limits the ultimate effect of attacks.

Once supplies are available, we should definitely move to "widespread stockpiling." Until then, it's just not possible.

74 posted on 10/17/2001 7:34:38 AM PDT by sanchmo
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To: afraidfortherepublic
Do yourself a favor, if you get a piece of mail you suspect, don't iron it, put it in a baggie, seal it and call the cops.
75 posted on 10/17/2001 7:35:00 AM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: afraidfortherepublic
The Speaker of the House said it was 29 cases in Daschle's office.
76 posted on 10/17/2001 7:35:08 AM PDT by CELTICGAEL (Celt)
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To: resistance
Make that "attacking"
77 posted on 10/17/2001 7:36:18 AM PDT by resistance
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To: Snerdley
How big is 8000 spores if each spore is between 1 and 5 microns (small enough to get deep into the lungs). How does that compare to a perfume/cologne squirt? I'm just trying to get a feel for how much stuff is about 8000 spores.

OK... Here is the size of 5,000 1-5 micron spores. The period. If I slightly raised my font size to about 16, the size of the period would be a fatal dosage worth of anthrax.

78 posted on 10/17/2001 7:36:30 AM PDT by dogbyte12
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To: JohnHuang2
It's high time that we have a nationwide manhunt for these damn terrorists who're doing this. Catch them and try them. I personally would like to see the death penalty imposed on these people, and even hoaxers.
79 posted on 10/17/2001 7:36:53 AM PDT by TKEman
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To: JohnHuang2
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., said about 200 people on Capitol Hill are taking Cipro because of the anthrax scare, including himself.

Yeah, RIGHT. About 535 LAWMAKERS are taking Cipro, I'd be willing to wager. Along with all their staff. I don't blame them, I would be too, but why the heck can't these people just tell the friggin' truth?!?!?

BTW, after reading some of the earlier posts on the topic, I went with Doxycycline instead of Cipro. Who thinks I'm making a huge mistake?

MM

80 posted on 10/17/2001 7:37:10 AM PDT by MississippiMan
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