Dr. Stoll im a meatcutter in naples fl and i just read an article that two meatcutters died working for the same company as I in Miami fl. I'm very concerned about this and my safety at work. I dont understand this and would like some information about mad cow disease. Can i get infected by touching meat or do i have to eat it? What about an open cut on my hands? I thought this was limited to Europe or something. How many people died over seas. Can USDA inspections spot mad cow? Do they even test for it? Are there any other people that are dying from it? Is there a cure or a treatment for the mad cow human or cow?
In Reply to: mad cows posted by Bruce Austin on March 15, 1998 at 15:22:07:
Dear Bruce,
I think you are right to be concerned. I would not have your job. You can bet that your company would deny (with all the lawyers they could pay for) any responsibility for your exposure if you got it (eating it or microscopic open cut). They would at least be able to delay payment till long past your demise.
There is no treatment & it is EXTREMELY difficult to detect before the animal has symptoms. It can take as long as 20 years for an animal to show symptoms after becoming infected. All during that time, the animal is infectious. It will be 20 years before we cn know how bad the cituation is right now (20 years too late).
There was a great 1 hour special on PBS TV last month bringing up to date what is known. You could probably get a copy by calling your PBS TV station. Of course, all the beef people were on there too; swearing that there was no risk---just like the tobacco executives swore in front of congress.
My youngest sister has worked with a 1200 cow dairy herd for more than 20 years. She says that MCD is very common with several cows dying from it every few months.
So long as the cattle feed industry is allowed to feed cows to cows, this problem will continue to get worse till people really start dying a lot. Then there will be a 20 year backlog during which the problem will continue to get worse fast.
The only way I know of to avoid this is to stop having anything to do with meat. There is good evidence that cows & humans are not the only ones who are susceptible.
Let us know what you learn. Public education & pressure is the only thing that can save us now.
Walt