Remember that posting with the long list of products that might contain prions? It seemed like a stretch to consider some of those things. But burried in today's NY Times article is a short list of things that may be contaminated including collagen and flu shots.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/14/health/14COW.html

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2001

Answers

I'm being intellectually lazy today; does anyone know the origins of "Mad Cow Disease"?

(Not to make light of what could be a potentially dangerous thing, but I'm pretty sure that's my favorite name for a "disease".)

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2001

BSE is one of a variety of disease that shows up from cannibalistic behavior (similar diseases include Kuru and Scrapie). The exact origin of the disease isn't known, but the behaviors which produce it are pretty well known: the British have been using a high-protein cattle feed generated from cattle.

Anyway, there are a bunch of variants on BSE which we've seen elsewhere, some of which are present in the US (there's a varient in certain Deer, for example). I suspect it's a mutation of Scrapie, which just happens to be fiendishly hard to kill, (you pretty much have to disintegrate the muscle tissue to kill the stuff), so the high-protein feed accelerated the spread. A lot of the problem involves the somewhat lax agricultural regulations Britain has had since the Thatcher administration, we're considerably more paranoid about food inspection over here.

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2001

All kindsa nasty dead things are used in animal-feeds to UP the protien.--they eat it--we eat them.

better get educated------it's your life!!!the day's of honesty & accountability are GONE!!

THE BOTTOM-LINE OF EVERYTHING IS==PROFIT--AT ANY COST! dead souls do dead things!!

are you ready for what,s coming??????????

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2001

I don't sweat mad cow. I'm a Vegan! The rest of the world will die!

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2001

What do you think they use as fetilizer on your vegetables?

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2001

BSE and the human form nvCJD are caused by a mutated protein molecule called a prion. It attaches itself to a cell and replicates itself. It doesn't die and can only be killed by 800 degrees Fahrenheit. It can cross species.

It started out in sheep and the dead sheep were made into feed for cattle. While typically found in brains, it could be anywhere in the body. So any products made with dead animals could contain prions.

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2001

John:

BSE and the human form nvCJD are caused by a mutated protein molecule called a prion. It attaches itself to a cell and replicates itself. It doesn't die and can only be killed by 800 degrees Fahrenheit. It can cross species.

Some truth in that, but little scientific support. I could analyse your statement but it would take pages. In laymens terms it is correct.

Patricia S: I might note that it is only important in places like NYC or Redmond, where people devour their young.

Best Wishes,,,

z

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2001

Hey Al and anybody else that's concerned about them there mad cows, I got some insight on the subject that might clear the air. I've raised Herefords since 68 and there're a lot of ways to piss a cow off. First off just try being there about weanng time at six months and watch the slow burn when you take their calf away from them. Don't do it during a full moon cause you really got troubles then. And sometimes in the spring when you turn em out on that washy enemic grass in April, they get a shortage of magnesium which causes grass tetany. Puts em down on their knees and they get a might wobbly! You give em a shot of mag. and if it's too strong a dosage, you got a cow that's on the fight and ready to kill innocent people. You can also make a cow mad when you grab her cervix too damn hard when you artificial inseminate her. For you city folk let me explain the details. You thaw the semen out and draw it into a long plastic pipe with a syringe on the end. Then you got a long obstetric glove on your left arm and you go up her tailpipe and find her cervix thru the anal wall. Then you maneuver the A.I. tube into the vulva and gently push it thru the end of the cervix. When you get to the target you fire No.1 torpedo. But the maddest I ever saw any cow was when I substituted 22 cal. shorts for 22 cal. long rifles in my dads squirrel gun. He grabbed it one day to shoot a cow that had stepped in a hole and broke her leg. He shot that cow 6 times between the eyes and all they did was give her a bid case of scours and put everybody over the fence. Now that was one mad cow and once we did put her down, dad didn't butcher her cause he knew the meat would taste bad because she got so pissed and all stressed out. I hope this will let you rest a little better!

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2001

Boswell:

You should try the hi-mag fescue that we released. Helps a lot.

Best Wishes,,,,

Z

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2001

Z, I have a feeling you know exactly what I'm talking about. Fescue is an excellent forager by itself or in combination with orchard,timothy or brome grass. These are the ones I am familiar with in the Northwest. The problems we have with grass tetany usually occurr early in the spring if you have a lot of rain and the grass hasn't had a chance to fortify and balance it's nutrition. It grew fast and got green but never had a chance to put anything in it. What state are you from if I may ask?

-- Anonymous, January 16, 2001