Re: currency spend analysis vs. disease

Hi Pete,

Ricin by its nature is not exactly easy to engineer in a weaponized form.
The engineering of a stable toxin is not an easy task to accomplish and
takes time and skill. Ricin itself degrades in sunlight over a period of
time and whilst it may give rise to some serious health implications from
that doorhandle attack it would be unlikely to be fatal. Anthrax on the
other hand takes very few spores to be inhaled to cause respiratory case of
anthrax. That 10-20000 spores you referred to relates to the yield of viable
microbes not the maximum dosage level.

Bacillius anthracis is the actual bacteria and causative agent of anthrax.
It also raises the question as to which particular strain of the bacteria is
used as each have specific differences and greatly affects the yield of the
delivery. Inreality B.anthracis is easy to obtain but difficult to weaponize
into a micron level which is suitable for inhalation. The U.S Anthrax
attacks are a good example of highly weaponized Ames strain athrax.

In most cases a bank note with a standard strain of B.anthracis impreganted
or coated would likely only lead to cutaneous anthrax in the initial case
and would likely then not lead to sustained innoculation through passing the
note. It's also prudent to note that the mortality rate for cutaneously
contracted Anthrax is quite low as compared to respiratory infections. I'ts
likely that a course of cipro oir doxycycline would provide successful
relief.

Anyway just a bit of background for you on the microbial word.

Regards
Steve
Bullionpay Staff
www.bullionpay.com



> In Britain we had a very strange terrorist plot.  This allegedly involved 
> the manufacture of ricin, which was then going to be smeared on 
> doorhandles and things.  All but one of the defendants were eventually 
> acquitted, and no ricin was ever manufactured, so I'm not sure exactly 
> what was going on if anything.  However, the plot wouldn't have worked, 
> ricin isn't toxic enough.  People would have picked up a nasty greasy 
> substance from doorhandles, washed their hands, and all the ricin would 
> have gone down the plughole.
>
> Pete

>