A new book called Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons by Kris Newby adds significantly to our understanding of Lyme disease, while oddly seeming to avoid mention of what we already knew.
Newby claims (in 2019) that if a scientist named Willy Burgdorfer had not made a confession in 2013, the secret that Lyme disease came from a biological weapons program would have died with him. Yet, in 2004 Michael Christopher Carroll published a book called Lab 257: The Disturbing Story of the Government’s Secret Germ Laboratory. He appeared on several television shows to discuss the book, including on NBC’s Today Show, where the book was made a Today Show Book Club selection. Lab 257 hit the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list soon after its publication.
Newby’s book reaches the same conclusion as Carroll’s, namely that the most likely source of diseased ticks is Plum Island. Newby reaches this conclusion on page 224 after mentioning Plum Island only once in passing in a list of facilities on page 47 and otherwise avoiding it throughout the book. This is bizarre, because Newby’s book otherwise goes into great depth, and even chronicles extensive research efforts that lead largely to dead ends, and because there is information available about Plum Island, and because Carroll’s best-selling book seems to demand comment, supportive or dismissive or otherwise.
In fact, I think that, despite the avoidance of any discussion of Plum Island, Newby’s research complements Carroll’s quite well, strengthens the same general conclusion, and then adds significant new understanding. So, let’s look at what Carroll told us, and then at what Newby adds.
Less than 2 miles off the east end of Long Island sits Plum Island, where the U.S. government makes or at least made biological weapons, including weapons consisting of diseased insects that can be dropped from airplanes on a (presumably foreign) population. One such insect is the deer tick, pursued as a germ weapon by the Nazis, the Japanese, the Soviets, and the Americans.
Deer swim to Plum Island. Birds fly to Plum Island. The island lies in the middle of the Atlantic migration route for numerous species. “Ticks,” Carroll writes, “find baby chicks irresistible.”
In July of 1975 a new or very rare disease appeared in Old Lyme, Connecticut, just north of Plum Island. And what was on Plum Island? A germ warfare lab to which the U.S. government had brought former Nazi germ warfare scientists in the 1940s to work on the same evil work for a different employer. These included the head of the Nazi germ warfare program who had worked directly for Heinrich Himmler. On Plum Island was a germ warfare lab that frequently conducted its experiments out of doors. After all, it was on an island. What could go wrong? Documents record outdoor experiments with diseased ticks in the 1950s (when we know that the United States was using such weaponized life forms in North Korea). Even Plum Island’s indoors, where participants admit to experiments with ticks, was not sealed tight. And test animals mingled with wild deer, test birds with wild birds.
By the 1990s, the eastern end of Long Island had by far the greatest concentration of Lyme disease. If you drew a circle around the area of the world heavily impacted by Lyme disease, which happened to be in the Northeast United States, the center of that circle was Plum Island.
Plum Island experimented with the Lone Star tick, whose habitat at the time was confined to Texas. Yet it showed up in New York and Connecticut, infecting people with Lyme disease — and killing them. The Lone Star tick is now endemic in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
If Newby agrees or disagrees with any of the above, she does not inform us. But here’s what she adds to it.
The outbreak of unusual tick-borne disease around Long Island Sound actually started in 1968, and it involved three diseases: Lyme arthritis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and babesiosis. A U.S. bioweapons scientist, Willy Burgdorfer, credited in 1982 with discovering the cause of Lyme disease, may have put the diseases into ticks 30 years earlier. And his report on the cause of Lyme disease may have involved a significant omission that has made it harder to diagnose or cure. The public focus on only one of the three diseases has allowed a disaster that could have been contained to become widespread.
Newby documents in detail Burgdorfer’s work for the U.S. government giving diseases to ticks in large quantities to be used as weapons, as they have been in Cuba in 1962, for example. “He was growing microbes inside ticks, having the ticks feed on animals, and then harvesting the microbes from the animals that exhibited the level of illness the military had requested.”
Burgdorfer published a paper in 1952 about the intentional infecting of ticks. In 2013, filmmaker Tim Grey asked him, on camera, whether the pathogen he had identified in 1982 as the cause of Lyme disease was the same one or similar or a generational mutation of the one he’d written about in 1952. Burgdorfer replied in the affirmative.
Interviewed by Newby, Burgdorfer described his efforts to create an illness that would be difficult to test for — knowledge of which he might have shared earlier with beneficial results for those suffering.
Newby, who has herself suffered from Lyme disease, blames the profit interests of companies and the corruption of government for the poor handling of Lyme disease. But her writing suggests to me a possibility she doesn’t raise, namely that those who know where Lyme disease came from have avoided properly addressing it because of where it came from.
Newby assumes throughout the book that there has to have been a particular major incident near Long Island Sound, either an accident or an experiment on the public or an attack by a foreign nation. Burgdorfer reportedly claimed to another researcher that Russia stole U.S. bioweapons. Based on that and nothing else, Newby speculates that perhaps Russia attacked the United States with diseased ticks, coincidentally right in the location where the U.S. government experimented with diseased ticks.
“What this book brings to light,” Newby writes, “is that the U.S. military has conducted thousands of experiments exploring the use of ticks and tick-borne diseases as biological weapons, and in some cases, these agents escaped into the environment. The government needs to declassify the details of these open-air bioweapons tests so that we can begin to repair the damage these pathogens are inflicting on human and animals in the ecosystem.”
Another product of U.S. bio-weapons tax dollars at work, of course, was the anthrax mailed to politicians in 2001. While Newby speculates that perhaps someone was trying to demonstrate the danger for our own good, I don’t think we should forget that one purpose served — whether or not intended — by the “anthrax attacks” was a significant augmentation of the Iraq war lies. The attacks were falsely blamed on Iraq, and even if people have forgotten that, they fell for it long enough for it to matter. The one bit of truth in current public understanding of Lyme disease is that it has not been falsely blamed on some country the United States is eager to bomb. Let’s keep it that way!
Kitabu kipya kinachoitwa Bitten: Historia ya siri ya ugonjwa wa Lyme na silaha za kibiolojia na Kris Newby, kinaongeza kwa kiasi kikubwa uelewa wetu wa ugonjwa wa Lyme, wakati kwa kushangaza inaonekana kuepuka kutaja kile tulichokuwa tukijua tayari. "Newby alisema kuwa ""Ikiwa mwanasayansi Willy Burgdorf hakufanya kukiri mwaka 2013, siri kwamba ugonjwa wa Lyme ulitokana na mpango wa silaha za kibiolojia ingekufa pamoja naye.""" "Mwanzoni mwa mwaka wa 2004, Michael Christopher Carroll aliandika kitabu ""Lab 257: The Disturbing Story of the Government's Secret Germinal Laboratory.""" Alionekana kwenye vipindi kadhaa vya televisheni kujadili kitabu hicho, ikiwa ni pamoja na kwenye NBC's Today Show, ambapo kitabu hicho kilichaguliwa katika Today Show Book Club. "Lab 257 ""Ilikuwa na mafanikio makubwa katika orodha ya vitabu vya New York Times vya vitabu vya uwongo, na ilikuwa na mafanikio makubwa katika orodha ya vitabu vya hadithi." Kitabu cha Newby kinapata mkataa uleule kama cha Carroll, yaani kwamba chanzo cha uwezekano mkubwa wa kuambukizwa kwa kuambukizwa ni Kisiwa cha Plum. Newby anafikia hitimisho hili katika ukurasa wa 224 baada ya kutaja kisiwa cha Plum mara moja tu kwa njia ya orodha ya vituo kwenye ukurasa wa 47 na vinginevyo kuiepuka katika kitabu chote. Hii ni ajabu, kwa sababu kitabu cha Newby vinginevyo huenda kwa kina kikubwa, na hata chronicles juhudi kubwa za utafiti ambayo kusababisha kwa kiasi kikubwa kwa mwisho, na kwa sababu kuna habari inapatikana kuhusu Plum Island, na kwa sababu Carroll ya kitabu bora kuuza inaonekana kudai maoni, kusaidia au dismissive au vinginevyo. Kwa kweli, nadhani kwamba, licha ya kuepuka majadiliano yoyote ya Plum Island, utafiti wa Newby unakamilisha Carroll vizuri sana, inaimarisha hitimisho moja la jumla, na kisha inaongeza uelewa mpya muhimu. Kwa hiyo, hebu tuangalie kile Carroll alituambia, na kisha katika nini Newby anaongeza. Karibu na kilomita mbili kutoka mwisho wa mashariki wa Long Island kuna kisiwa cha Plum, ambapo serikali ya Marekani hufanya au angalau alifanya silaha za kibiolojia, ikiwa ni pamoja na silaha zinazohusisha wadudu walioambukizwa ambao wanaweza kutupwa kutoka ndege kwenye idadi ya watu (labda wageni). Mnyama mmoja wa aina hiyo ni chungu anayeitwa deer tick, ambaye alitumiwa na Wanazi, Wajapani, Wasovieti, na Wamarekani kama silaha ya kuua viini. Nyati huogelea hadi Kisiwa cha Plum. Ndege huruka hadi Kisiwa cha Plum. Kisiwa hicho kiko katikati ya njia ya kusafiri ya Atlantiki kwa spishi nyingi. "Kichwa cha mnyama huyo, ""Tick,"" ni jina la mnyama anayeitwa Tick, ambaye ni mnyama wa aina ya Tick, aliishi katika eneo la Old Lyme, Connecticut, kaskazini mwa kisiwa cha Plum Island, Marekani, mnamo Julai mwaka wa 1975." Na kulikuwa na nini kwenye Kisiwa cha Plum? Maabara ya vita vya bakteria ambayo serikali ya Marekani ilileta wanasayansi wa zamani wa vita vya bakteria vya Nazi katika miaka ya 1940 kufanya kazi sawa na kazi ya uovu kwa mwajiri tofauti. Miongoni mwao alikuwa mkuu wa programu ya Nazi ya vita vya bakteria ambaye alikuwa amefanya kazi moja kwa moja kwa Heinrich Himmler. Kisiwa cha On Plum kilikuwa maabara ya vita vya bakteria ambayo mara nyingi ilifanya majaribio yake nje ya nyumba. Baada ya yote, ilikuwa kwenye kisiwa. Ni nini kinachoweza kutokea? Majaribio ya nje ya nchi ya Korea Kaskazini na kuambukizwa kwa vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea vilivyoambukizwa na vimelea. Hata Plum Island's ndani ya nyumba, ambapo washiriki wanakubali majaribio na vimelea, haikuwa imefungwa kwa nguvu. Na mtihani wanyama mchanganyiko na nyati mwitu, mtihani ndege na ndege mwitu. Katika miaka ya 1990, sehemu ya mashariki ya Long Island ilikuwa na idadi kubwa zaidi ya wagonjwa wa Lyme. "Kama ungechora mduara kuzunguka eneo la dunia lililokumbwa na ugonjwa wa Lyme, ambalo lilitokea kuwa kaskazini mashariki mwa Marekani, kituo cha mduara huo kilikuwa ""Plum Island.""" Kisiwa cha Plum kilifanya majaribio na chui anayeitwa Lone Star, ambaye wakati huo aliishi tu huko Texas. Hata hivyo ilionekana katika New York na Connecticut, kuambukiza watu na ugonjwa wa Lyme <unk> na kuwaua. Sasa chawa wa Lone Star ni wa kawaida katika New York, Connecticut, na New Jersey. Ikiwa Newby anakubaliana au hakubaliani na yoyote ya hapo juu, yeye hajulishi sisi. Lakini hapa ni nini yeye anaongeza kwa hilo. Mlipuko wa ugonjwa wa kuambukizwa na chui karibu na Long Island Sound ulianza mnamo 1968 na ulihusisha magonjwa matatu: ugonjwa wa Lyme, homa ya Rocky Mountain, na babesiosis. Mtaalamu wa silaha za kibiolojia Willy Burgdorf, ambaye aliigundua ugonjwa wa Lyme mwaka 1982, aliwahi kuambukiza wadudu. Katika ripoti yake ya kwanza kuhusu ugonjwa wa Lyme, alitoa maoni ambayo yamekuwa na athari kubwa kwa wagonjwa wa Lyme, na ambayo yamefanya iwe vigumu kugundua ugonjwa huo. Uangalifu wa umma kwa ugonjwa mmoja tu kati ya magonjwa hayo matatu umefanya msiba ambao ungeweza kudhibitiwa uweze kuenea sana. Newby alitoa taarifa za kina kuhusu kazi ya Burgdorf kwa serikali ya Marekani ya kuambukiza vimelea kwa kiasi kikubwa ili viweze kutumiwa kama silaha, kama vile ilivyokuwa nchini Cuba mwaka wa 1962. "Burgdorf aliandika makala yake ya kwanza ya 1952 ""Kuhusu kuambukiza kwa makusudi kwa vimelea.""" "Mwanzoni mwa mwaka 2013, Tim Grey alimwuliza, ""Je, kiini cha ugonjwa ambacho uligundua mwaka 1982 kuwa kisababishi cha ugonjwa wa Lyme ni sawa au sawa au ni mabadiliko ya kizazi ya kile alichokuwa ameandika juu yake mwaka 1952?""" Burgdorfer alijibu kwa ndiyo. Katika mahojiano na New York Times, Burgdorf alielezea juhudi zake za kuunda ugonjwa ambao ungekuwa vigumu kuupima - ujuzi ambao angeweza kushiriki mapema na matokeo mazuri kwa wale wanaoteseka. Newby, ambaye mwenyewe amepatwa na ugonjwa wa Lyme, analaumu maslahi ya faida ya makampuni na ufisadi wa serikali kwa kushughulikia vibaya ugonjwa wa Lyme. Lakini maandishi yake yananiambia uwezekano ambao haujaleta, yaani kwamba wale wanaojua ambapo ugonjwa wa Lyme ulitoka wameepuka kuushughulikia vizuri kwa sababu ya mahali ulipoanzia. Newby anaamini kwamba lazima kuwe na tukio kubwa karibu na Long Island Sound, ama ajali au majaribio ya umma au shambulio la taifa la kigeni. Burgdorf alidai kuwa Urusi iliba silaha za kibiolojia za Marekani. Kwa sababu hiyo, Newby alidhani kwamba huenda Urusi ilishambulia Marekani kwa kutumia makapi yenye magonjwa, na kwa bahati mbaya, ilishambulia Marekani mahali ambapo serikali ya Marekani ilifanya majaribio ya kutumia makapi yenye magonjwa. "Kile kitabu hiki kinatoa mwanga, ""Newby anaandika, ""ni kwamba jeshi la Marekani limefanya maelfu ya majaribio ya kuchunguza matumizi ya vimelea na magonjwa yanayopitishwa na vimelea kama silaha za kibiolojia, na katika baadhi ya kesi, mawakala hawa walikimbia katika mazingira." "Hii ni kwa sababu ya ""mfano wa majaribio ya silaha za kibiolojia,"" ambayo ni njia ya kuzuia uharibifu wa mazingira na wanyama na kwa sababu ya ""mfano wa anthrax"" ambayo ilitumwa kwa wanasiasa mwaka 2001." Wakati Newby anafikiria kwamba labda mtu alikuwa akijaribu kuonyesha hatari kwa ajili ya faida yetu wenyewe, sidhani tunapaswa kusahau kwamba kusudi moja kutumika <unk> kama au si nia <unk> na <unk> mashambulizi anthrax <unk> ilikuwa kuongezeka kwa kiasi kikubwa cha uongo vita vya Iraq. Mashambulizi hayo yalishutumiwa kwa uwongo dhidi ya Iraq, na hata kama watu wamesahau hilo, walianguka kwa muda mrefu wa kutosha kwa ajili ya jambo hilo. "Kama kuna ukweli katika ufahamu wa sasa wa umma wa ugonjwa wa Lyme ni kwamba haujatolewa kwa uongo kwa nchi fulani ambayo Marekani inataka kubomolewa. """ Hebu tuendelee hivyo!