Letters to the Editor

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Oct, 2001

I have noted some concerns that TSE may be present, in a slightly different form, in American cattle herds. In particular is the case of transmissible mink encephalopathy strongly associated with mink feed containing meat from "downer" cows (cows unable to rise after having fallen). Not all cases of "downer cow" appear to be from the same causes - many appear to be reversible by administration of deficient minerals; some cases however, do not respond to this treatment. (See Marsh, R.F., "Bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the United States," J of American Veterinary Medical Assn, Vol. 196, No. 10,5/15/90, p. 1677. In a related article, see Robinson, M.M., et al., "Experimental infection of cattle with the agents of transmissible mink encephalopathy and scrapie," J. Comp. Path 1995, Vol. 113, 241-251.) It occurs to me that if animals are slaughtered before symptoms appear, given the 'voluntary' nature of present-day meat inspection, is there some possibility that TSE-infected cows (infected with the American variant) might be entering the human or animal food supplies in the US?

Regarding treatment, I would be curious to know which medicaments, used to treat bacterial encephalitis, have been tried on TSE and with what results. Also, I recall that a natural broad-spectrum antibiotic; garlic, might be able to penetrate to some extent the blood-brain barrier through inhaling garlic fumes. What, if any, is the possibility that agents effective against TSE in vitro might be effective when administered via inhalation?

Maria Abdin

P.O. Box 21521

Seattle, Washington 98111 USA

Messages: 206-860-8928

The Ongoing Arsenic Enigma

Editor:

The national media have underscored reluctance by the present Bush administration to reduce the standard of arsenic in drinking water from 50 parts per billion (ppb), set in 1942, to no more than 10 ppb. The latter standard was proposed by the EPA during the Clinton administration in response to a Natural Resources Defense Council lawsuit. Cartoonists have had a field day with "compassionate conservatism" on the matter, even concocting a presidential decree whereby arsenic is considered a "vegetable."

Most of the features recently published on arsenic exposure and toxicity do not fully convey its widespread nature and significance. As a physician, researcher and author of medical texts, I have reported on them over four decades in multiple realms to focus on this largely unrecognized public health hazard.

I first emphasized arsenic poisoning in a widely used medical reference, [1] especially extensive environmental contamination by arsenic pesticides. Its carcinogenic potential was noted.

My researches on the hematologic and neoplastic complications of various pesticides [2] were later the basis for testimony to the EPA. One significant revelation was the demonstrable adverse biologic effects even in parts per trillion. The EPA officially stated that arsenical pressure-treated wood - notably chromated copper arsenate or CCA - "should not be used where it may come into direct or indirect contact with public drinking water" [3] An estimated 11 million Americans drink water with arsenic levels in excess of 10 ppb.