MORE MAD DEER, MAD COW BALONEY

By Nicholas Regush

Those who have been following our story of the water buffalo should know that the Canadian Government took them away on Saturday. The mere possibility that this herd might have been exposed to Mad Cow disease was seen as sufficient reason to destroy them.

Visitors to RFW may also have read David Crowe’s piece on how there are reasonable alternative explanations of how Mad Cow disease develops - thus challenging the "infectious agent" theory that underlies public health policy. A theory and policy that resulted in the water buffalo being taken to the slaughter house.

Crowe’s piece also raises some questions about the nature of Mad Deer Disease. Unfortunately, there is a build-up of what will likely become a media feeding frenzy, as more media outlets begin to report on Mad Deer Disease. And they are already doing it in a way that excludes alternative explanations. Again, the disease is being characterized as "infectious."

In any case, for now, Our SCREAM of the week goes to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency which clearly is preoccupied with baloney.