Re: James Fulford's article Invincible Ignorance And Ebola—Why Are We Letting In Immigrants Who Don’t Know What A Germ Is?

From: Jesse Mossman [Email him]

James Fulford is certainly right about the invincible ignorance of Third World inhabitants, but there are plenty of examples of ignorance and irrationality among Americans. A major example is the idea any good could come of flooding the country with germ-laden and uneducated immigrants. Ebola aside, hepatitis rates are high in the Third World.

Another example: the irrationality of "screening" airline passengers by taking their temperatures. As the incubation period of Ebola (or Obola as many are now calling both the disease and the President responsible for allowing it into our country) is said to be up to 21 days, asymptomatic but infected people could pass the screening and come down with symptomatic and contagious Ebola a day or weeks after being let loose on the American public. Just how does that make us safe?

And passengers would only be protected if we believe the claim that Ebola is only contagious when the fever and other symptoms emerge. The CDC itself says that the flu virus is contagious before symptoms are present. So can we really believe the claim that Ebola isn't contagious before the symptoms present? Of course we are assured is that Ebola is a coy virus—it plays hard to get—try telling that to the Spanish nurse who got Ebola while wearing protective gear.

There is a long history of authorities making pronouncements which turn out to be untrue—though few have been as blatant as the current President who informed us that: "You cannot get it through casual contact like sitting next to someone on a bus."—which must explain how Duncan's nurse caught the disease while covered head to toe in protective gear—if she had only been wearing the kind of clothes she would wear on a bus she would have been safe?

Aerosols from an infected person would be produced when he sneezed or coughed—or used the airplane toilet. Flushing airplane toilets produces aerosols of the toilet contents—which is why e. coli bacteria can be found all over airplane restrooms. But don't worry, if the person didn't have a fever when boarding, there is nothing to worry about—right?

When I was a boy, I remember public health officials claiming that one could only catch rabies if saliva from an infected animal got into an open wound. Yet it turned out that in a cave in Texas both people and animals in screened cages caught rabies from aerosols produced by rabid bats—no bite needed.

When I worked for a large contractor and many construction workers came down with mononucleosis, I called the local health department. They assured me that casual spread of mono was impossible—only "deep kissing" or sharing a tooth brush could transmit the disease. I was living alone and had no girl friend—yet I caught mono too. And I assure you I never kissed any of those construction guys—or anyone else at that time.

During the 80's, a dentist who was the head of a dental infection control board assured me that "cold sterilization" (use of chemicals rather than heat) of dental tools was adequate protection from diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis. In 1992 the ADA determined that the "cold sterilization" methods used were inadequate and heat sterilization in an autoclave was necessary.

Only the ignorant or irrational could be reassured by the politically-motivated claims of government officials—especially the President. It is past time to fully secure the border and stop all entry from countries infected with Ebola. And remember, if you like your Ebola, you can keep your Ebola.

See previous letters from Jesse Mossman.