Nasty Infectious Diseases

Posted on 2003/04/29 10:41:49 (April 2003) by john.

I hate to say I told you so, but...

I watched a documentary about the SARS epidemic last night. It talked about lots of issues, but mainly it was about the origin and spread of SARS. Apparently, the disease originated in rural China, and had jumped species, probably from chickens. Although this phenomenon can happen purely by chance in nature, it is apparently very unlikely and rare. The most likely cause was that animals were kept in extremely unsanitary (not to mention inhumane and cruel) conditions, very close to other animals and humans, who would then slaughter and eat them, thus massively increasing the risk of being contaminated. It is therefore not unreasonable to say that if people treated animals better, and more to the point, didn't eat them, this disease (and many others like it in the past) would never have happened. Furthermore, it looks like this will not be an isolated incident. It is likely given the current way the human race treats animals (and nature as a whole) there is likely to be a spate of similar illnesses jumping species and wreaking havoc in society. Additionally, the fact that farmers pump their animals full of antibiotics means that meat eaters are often unable to receive any benefit from antibiotics when they are needed. Like when they are suffering from a disease such as SARS. This seems to be a global form of karma in action. Treat nature badly, and it will come back and bite you in the arse.

As often seems to be the case, the media has gone into a frenzy about the consequences of this outbreak, and very few people seem to be really looking at the causes, so as to stop this happening again in the future.

And another thing. Just a few weeks ago I (slightly jokingly) posted an article about hygiene. It turns out my odd neuroses about not touching handles, buttons and so on that other people might have touched with unclean hands was not so rediculous after all.

So, all in all, I hate to say I told you so, buy, well, frankly, I told you so.

John, is there anything else you want to tell the world now so that we can avoid mutually assured destruction, our genitals falling off, genetic degredation, social collapse or technological take over? Please do tell us now, so we can heed your advice and prevent further disasters.

Posted by Rob Lang at 2003/04/29 11:10:09.

Eat more fresh fruit.

Posted by John at 2003/04/29 11:28:42.

Use suncream.

Posted by tom at 2003/04/29 15:07:53.

Dear John, is it ok to go to work if you have a cold? Or should you stay at home. What if you are really busy?
Thanks...

Posted by Snotty from Blackpool at 2003/04/29 23:39:28.

I too have some weird form of cold and am not sure whether or not I should be in work. I am definitely well enough to use a computer though, so it can't be that bad...

Posted by John at 2003/04/30 09:46:46.

There is a solution to the toilet door handle problem, which (apparently) is this: a well-designed toilet should be built so that after washing your hands, you don't have to touch anything else in the room again. That's why you get self-starting dryers, and curvy-corridor-entranceways (to avoid doors). So your "odd neuroses" cannot be that odd ... but for a different reason than you've assumed. I think. Scotland was very nice, by the way, thanks for asking (!).

Posted by Jimmy at 2003/04/30 16:01:05.

Using hand dryers in public restrooms is nasty. I can't help thinking about all those airborn bits of foul-smelling toilet nastiness getting blown onto and drying on my hands. I just wash my hands, walk out and flail my hands around to dry them. I may look like a spaz, but hey, at least my hands ain't covered in a fine layer of air-poo.

Posted by Omar at 2003/05/02 10:01:33.

I think the idea is that you wash the poo off your hands before you dry them.

Posted by Graf at 2003/05/03 16:51:24.

Gosh, really? Actually I was referring to my dislike of the thought of using the air-dryers to blow hot smelly public toilet air particles directly onto my hands.

Posted by Omar at 2003/05/03 22:20:23.

Hi in the bible it says we are only supposed to eat fish that have scales. If the fish does not have scales then we are not supposed to eat it. Why is that does anyone know. Then that means we are not supposed to eat cat fish because it doesn't have any scales.

Posted by Oracle Winters at 2003/05/06 01:06:56.

In the Old Testament..? In that case it's almost certainly a hygiene thing - just like the not eating pork issue. I imagine people thought fish without scales goes off quicker, especially when you are living in a hot country like Israel.

Posted by John at 2003/05/06 09:11:00.

i never use the hand dryers in public toilets i think it is disgusting so i just shake my hands around so people think im stupid but at least i dont catch any diseases.

Posted by david moore at 2004/01/28 13:59:06.

ok people sars, eating fresh fuit will not protect you from getting sars. i mean is this even a ligit site. i have to find info about SARS for wellness 2 and you guys come out with this bull! you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Posted by piro at 2004/08/26 18:22:58.

I don't think we actually suggested that eating more fresh fruit will prevent getting SARS. The original comment was based on a (admittedly somewhat daft) request for general advice on life. In general most people don't eat enough fresh fruit and vegetables, or drink enough water. Although I'm not an expert, I suspect generally having a healthy diet is a good thing, and whether or not it has a specific impact on contagious diseases I can't say, but it probably will make you live longer one way or the other.

The original point was that SARS would probably not have become the epidemic it was had it not been for the poor treatment and hygiene conditions of the animals from which it originated.

Battery farming methods and poor treatment of animals will only lead to more epidemics like this in the future.

So don't waltz in here and call this bullshit without really understanding what it is we're talking about.

Oh, and by the way sentences are supposed to start with capital letters.

Posted by John at 2004/12/02 14:14:45.

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