Sorting out the facts about bio and chemical warfare

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Dr. Sherry Fuller-Espie, chair of the science department and assistant professor of biology, said "No one knows how real the threat is," and that "a clear understanding of what is and what is not possible is very important." When biological and chemical warfare is being discussed in the capacity that it has been in recent weeks, people must realize that there is a difference between the two. Chemical agents were first being used during World War L The agents are much easier to obtain. -Cyanide for instance is a widely used tool for cleaning metals. The largest problem that terrorists face with both chemical and biological warfare is finding a way of "weaponizing" it. This means they must first find a way to keep the samples active and develop a system of dispersal. 1be Tokyo subway sarin attacks were done with plastic baggies full of the gas that were popped with either pins or umbrella points. It sounds very archaic but so does flying a commer- problem with anthrax poisoning is that it is pathogenic. "When anthrax spores germinate in the body, they can produce a capsule around themselves in order to evade the body's phagocytic white blood cells," said Fuller-Espie, enabling the disease to spread faster throughout the body. Anthrax cannot be passed from one person to another. Detective Farrell doubts the likelihood of a biological attack due to the fact that the materials are so heavily controlled. In either the case of biological or chemical warfare, immense quantities would be needed in order to cause mass destruction. But Farrell says that that is not always the intent on the terrorist's part. "1be goal of the tenorist is to disrupt normal, daily life," says Farrell "If someone were to leave a container containing hazardous chemicals in the King of Prussia Mall, the causalities would not be outstanding, but people would begin to question ever leaving the house." cial airliner into an office building. r----------------------Another downside that terrorists face is the short life span of the chemicals. After the sarin was exposed to the air of the subway it began to lose its efficacy. Biological materials like anthrax, botulinum and smallpox are extremely difficult to obtain. Acconling to FBI reports bin Laden has tried, without any success, to obtain some of these materials. Some biological agents, unlike chemical agents, can be spread throughout the public. Smallpoxfor example is a highly infectious biological disease and since a small quantity of vaccines exist, a contaminable disease like smallpox would be very difficult to control On Oct. 5, a 63year-0ld Florida man died from anthrax poisoning. At first there were no criminal suspicions, but after a second man in the same building was found with the anthrax bacteria in his nose, the attorney general has sealed the building. The Centers for Disease Control has been brought in to investigate. 1be disease, bio- logical, causes respiratory failure In the event of chemical warfare but can be treated with antibiotics if like the one pictured above save you from the effects? it is caught in an early stage. The