Hidden in the middle of the Advertiser on Saturday was an article about the Federal Government allowing the import of beef from countries with B.S.E. (Mad Cow Disease). Not only does this probably mean more cheap rubbish food in the shops, there is a potential health risk as well. This potentially can cause a disease in humans called C.J.D. As an Englishman who lived in the UK prior to 1996 I am not allowed to give blood in Australia, just in case I have this disease and pass it on in blood products. The only test for this disease is to section the brain (Not a good diagnostic test).
yep put public health at risk for profit. we have cjd here anway so obvioulsy we have had bse well swept under the mat but hey, one major regional hosp’ records around 2 cjd deaths per month or something like that, they call them ulzheimer related causes, and the hospital mortuaries who peform the autopsies are calling for disposable implements so there is no risk that thei instruments don’t end up in the main stream hospital theatres, there is no sterilisation for bse/cjd.(the above info from an ambo’ driver who’s job it is to transport the very sick and dead from their home to hospital he checks the books to see what the causes of the deaths are recorded as).
i’ve always believed we’ve had bse here but it has been well covered up.
Thanks for the article. Another to add to my list of ‘letters to government’ pile. Silly thing is, is that any money made from importing beef will eventually be lost in trying to eradicate BSE once it surfaces in Australia. Not to mention the money spent on welfare payments and job-search for those that do loose their employment who are already in the industry.
As an Englishman who lived in the UK prior to 1996 I am not allowed to give blood in Australia, just in case I have this disease and pass it on in blood products. The only test for this disease is to section the brain (Not a good diagnostic test).
LOL – I lived in London in my young, foolish years from 1993 – 95, so like you cannot give blood. Mind you we were so broke, we couldnt afford to eat beef and mainly survived on chicken and vegetarian meals.
But as a nurse who has seen a patient with CJD (not the mad cow kind), it is a really nasty disease, so you would think all precautions would be a priority for Aus
.
