Date:   12/5/2008 8:31:31 PM ( 16 y ago)
Hits:   5,598
URL:   https://www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=1311430

A Divine Case of Stomach Flu

A recent outbreak of a gastrointestinal norovirus (a severe stomach flu causing virus) claimed the lives of four elderly psychiatric patients in The Netherlands. Outbreaks like these are not uncommon, but the source of this particular outbreak might come as a surprise: the Roman Catholic pilgrimage town of Lourdes.


Negative-stain Transmission Electron Microscopy of a stool sample from an individual with gastroenteritis. The little rounded particles are noroviruses. The white bar equals 50 nanometers, which is 20,000 times smaller than a millimeter. (Image by F.P. Williams, U.S. EPA).

This story has not made its way into the media outside The Netherlands (yet?) but the story is buzzing [1] in the land of tulips, clogs, and marihuana. The virus infected fourteen individuals of a group of psychiatric patients while on a pilgrimage to the famous Catholic holy site in France. These patients, in turn, transmitted the disease to other patients and staff members of the psychiatric clinic. The local healthcare authorities instated several measures in a so-far successful attempt to quarantine the epidemic.

The American Center for Disease Control estimates that at least 50% of all foodborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis are linked to noroviruses. Although only a small percentage of norovirus outbreaks are waterborne, RNA of the virus has even been found in commercially available bottled European water. This all sounds alarming, but like with most gastrointestinal infectious organisms, healthy adults are not at risk. However, besides attracting physically healthy Catholics, Lourdes is also visited by many people who are more likely to suffer from severe narovirus infections.

Ever since Our Lady of Lourdes — thought to be Virgin Mary herself! — allegedly revealed herself on several occasions to a 14-year old girl, Lourdes is a holy site in the minds of many a Catholic. Because the local spring is said to have healing properties, Lourdes attracts many people hoping for a miraculously cure of whatever ails them. This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes. This jubilee was reason enough for a recent papal visit to the sanctuary. These significant events probably lured even more believers to Lourdes, and among them are obviously many sick and elderly individuals.


The Roman Catholic Church has confirmed 67 miraculous cures in Lourdes. Carl Sagan calculated that the chance of a spontaneous remission was higher than to be miraculously healed of the cancer at Lourdes.



Lourdes is a place were many people congregate in close proximity; among them the elderly and people in poor health. Therefore it is not surprising, from a rational, scientific point of view, that a place like Lourdes can be a reservoir for noroviruses. Indeed, the link between Lourdes and the norovirus seems to be going back for at least several years. But from a religious perspective, you have to wonder why a benevolent God permits a potentially lethal disease to spread from the consecrated grounds of His sanctuary at Lourdes, a place where He purportedly breaks the natural laws to heal the sick.

Ironically enough, in a world in which many people believe in divine medical interventions, the Holy Trinity opts for divine medical infections instead.



http://www.stereodax.com/2008/10/a-divine-case-of-stomach-flu/


 

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