A link between the Heroin Deaths in Dublin and Glasgow

Monday December 04, 2006 21:14

by C Murray

Bad Batch infected with Clostridium Novyl

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/792063.stm reports that there has been a spate
of heroin deaths in Glasgow, England and Wales, also. There is nothing on Indymedia
Scotland.In Ireland there have been six deaths, four people are currently being treated
in Beaumont for complications.

There have been 43 cases in Scotland resulting in 20 deaths.
16 in England and Wales.

BBC Image

The contaminant is believed to be Clostridium Novyll which was discovered in the 1900's,
it consists of bacterial spores and comes from soil. It was responsible for 40% of
gas gangerene cases during the first World War. Interestingly the Island authorities
were investigating anthrax as the possible contaminant.

The thing is this- go to hospital if you have symptoms. People have survived because
they are being treated.

Symptoms are not discussed on any of the news-services but they are linking the
bad batch to the batch that has caused the deaths in Ireland, investigations are
ongoing.

The bacterium does not pass from person to person.

The 'spin' is that it is 'simply a human tragedy'- not good enough really?

There is no release from the Irish department of Justice as to whether the
police forces investigating the bacterial contaminant have isolated the
cause in Ireland or if the link to the British situation is definite. However
the British authorities are stating this.

If you are using and feeling unwell- seek treatment . It is most likely a bacterium and
can be treated in Hospitals.

BBC image

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Comments (5 of 5)

More info on Clostridium novyi

Mon Dec 04, 2006 21:43

The last spate of cases were in the same areas in the Islands- Glasgow, Wales and Dublin.
The drugs had emanted from Afghanistan. Pre and post-mortem tissue samples showed
that the spores cause anaerobic infection when they are injected into the muscle.

They survive the acidification process and cause both extreme tissue destruction
and toxogenioc effects including myocardial contractility and shock.

http://www.iduoutbreak.hps.scot.nhs.uk/consummary.htm

The spores remain viable through the acidification process.

The related illness and deaths to these contaminated batches have been in the same areas
of Glasgow, Wales, and Dublin. The situation has been ongoing for some weeks.

Symptoms

by and

Mon Dec 04, 2006 22:06

Symptoms:

*Swelling around the injection holes*.

These develop into absesses- now absesses are very dangerous. The fluids and infection
can cause local infection or can attack the system-especially if it is in an area like the jugular
vein. Absecesses also nasily can lurk around beneath the skin (subcutaneous) and wreak havoc.

The doctors are saying that the infections need early treatment as they are strong
and can resist antibiotics. -Not necessarily true- but it depends on the virulence of
the infection and how long it is in the body. It also depends on the ability of the body
to fight infection. They are very dangerous for example in very old people and infants.
A body weakened by heroin may not be up to the fight.

so:

Check for boils and infected tissue.
Unwellness.

Tell the doctor what is going on.

This has been going on all week-

by C.

Fri Oct 19, 2007 11:39

The IPU were interviewed in the presence of families of methadone users last week on the
telly and the HSE was absent- not sending a spokesperson to talk with either the families
or the union involved.
The families and the IPU representative were very unhappy with the situation in which they
were found but the IPU spokesman asserted that the supply would be re-instigated if the
HSE were to meet with the union and discuss the difficulties, the HSE prefers to carry out
its business through the mainstream media and press-released this:-

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/11...omnet
(sure why would they sit and listen to the concerns of addicts and their relatives when
they can imply public order offence and use the media to spin themselves out of
responsibility for heavy cutbacks and heavy pension and wage packets to their
top echelon (who are afterall an unelected quango, who have more control over
health issues than the people who were mandated to do the job and are obviously incapable).

SF and FF have press-released on the issue too, which makes the whole thing look very sewn up
and has suceeded in:
1. Marginalising the addicts and families.
2.Marginalising the IPU

SF have been good enough to accuse the government of playing politics and urging intervention:
http://www.sinnfein.ie/news/detail/21233
Bertie is doing the tearful 'don't punish the addicts' whilst avoid the political implication of
the HSE and the awful health minister.

In the meantime the addicts are at the centre of another health dept failure and the families
and IPU have spoken , the IPU have assured the families that supply will continue
when the HSE have approached them over the breakdown in communications but the HSE
will not do that because they are a media entity and prefer to budget for PR than to
talk to parties involved.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1017/methadone.html

Blame Game

by Marcher

Fri Oct 19, 2007 14:02

We have to be consistent here, we are constantly calling on Harney to tackle the huge waste in the Health Service but when she tackles the excessive profits the pharmacies are making we moan about this. While I’ve no time for the fat bastard at least I’ll acknowledge when she is in the right.

by Rover

Fri Oct 19, 2007 16:24

read the reports...
The issue is simple enough 'trimming the excess' off the health service should start with downscaling
Dr Drumm's o so high salary and not with Mary Harney utilising a quango and the media to replace
political debate. The IPU state quite categorically that the measure is desperate and they are
willing to talk to the HSE to resolve difficulty. but the HSE go to the media and tell everyone that
they will have armed gardai and escorts for the methadone!
Thats using media spin to absolve themselves from the difficulty of answering the questions
does a crap PD Health Minister under the stewardship of an inept Taoiseach have the right to appoint
a quango with no electoral mandate to make Healthcare decisions on behalf of the people of Ireland?

is it in the Programme for Government??

Dear People of Ireland ,
Your government has been overtaken by the vested interests and friends of the pharmaceutical
corporates and we are a signing bureaucracy charged with implementing corporatism,
the collateral damage will include infant units, maternity units, staff morale and centralisation
of local services.
yours sincerely,
Bertie Ahern.
John Gormley
Mary Harney.
Is that the way it is that the HSE can abuse politics whilst we sit and watch people suffering?

Methadone supply is being politicised by those would put profit before patient care.

and we do not even note the abuse of media to achieve more corruption and how Bertie
Ahern has consistently abused his leadership to achieve very little in the way of
using money for the benfit of the people- its time for FF to F off...

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A link between the Heroin Deaths in Dublin and Glasgow

Comments (5 of 5)