It finally reaches mainstream: Researchers argue 'Black Death' was due to Ebola, not Bubonic plague

Carrie Weisman
Sott.net/ via
Design & Trend

A new book titled Biology of Plagues: Evidence from Historical Populations, argues that the "Black Death" may not have been caused by the bubonic plague, as history textbooks would suggest, but rather, an Ebola-like virus.

The authors, Christopher Duncan and Susan Scott of the University of Liverpool, claim that the bubonic plague could not have spread across Europe at the rate in which the Black Death did.

Duncan says, "If you look at the way it spreads, it was spreading at a rate of around 30 miles in two to three days. Bubonic plague moves at a pace of around 100 yards a year."

Duncan and Scott also analyzed the symptoms described in historical texts. Autopsy reports detail the internal organs of victims having had dissolved along with the appearance of black liquid. The liquidization of internal organs is a trademark of the Ebola virus and causes its victims tremendous pain.
The oozing lymph nodes that so notoriously accompanied the Black Death could also be symptomatic of an Ebola-like virus. In both cases, hemorrhagic fevers come on fast and causes blood vessels to burst underneath the skin. This is what brings out the welts, or "buboes" as they were called during the time of the Black Death.

The authors also noted that efforts to quarantine the Black Death were successful - something that would not had been possible had the disease been transmitted by rats, as history has suggested, since rats do not observe quarantines.

But not everyone is convinced. Ann Carmichael, a historian and expert on the Black Plague says, "It is problematic to assimilate evidence over four centuries and draw conclusive theories," she says, "We must look at it on a plague-by-plague basis."

Comment: The fact is, this information isn't new, and learning from history, including learning about possible protection measures, is the best thing we can do for ourselves and our loved ones.

• New Light on the Black Death: The Viral and Cosmic Connection

• Finally catching up - Could the Black Death actually have been an Ebola-like virus?

• Black Death found to be Ebola-like virus

• Two of history's deadliest plagues were linked, with implications for another outbreak: Scientists discover link between Justinian plague and Black Death

• Natural allopathic treatment modalities for Ebola

• Comets, plagues, tobacco and the origin of life on earth

• Pestilence, the Great Plague and the Tobacco Cure

Top US academics discover fresh tobacco leaves can fight cancer

via sott.net

Researchers at the University of Louisiana at Monroe have discovered anticancer compounds in the most unlikely of places - tobacco leaves.

Khalid El Sayed, an associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the ULM College of Pharmacy, and ULM colleagues Paul Sylvester and Girish Shah received a patent for their discovery of anti-cancer compounds in fresh tobacco leaves earlier this week from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

"The leaf and flower of the tobacco plant contain high amounts of the key flavor ingredient called cembranoids, which shows promise as an anti-cancer agent," El Sayed said. "It was very exciting to discover the anti-cancer activities."

But this doesn't mean people will reap the same benefits by using commercial tobacco, he warned, adding that much of the anti-cancer compound is lost in the processing of commercial tobacco.

"This compound is not commonly found in commercial tobacco because commercial tobacco is largely degraded into smaller compounds for about a year to give it flavor during the processing and fermentation," he said.

The cembranoids are found in the waxy substance on fresh tobacco leaves and show potential for controlling metastic breast and prostate cancers. The plant produces them as a chemical defense to protect itself against insects and harmful microbial infections, El Sayed said.

El Sayed said the idea originated after examining soft-bodied corals, which also produce cembranoids to guard themselves against predators.

"We were collecting soft-bodied corals and found that it was using something to deter predators away, and these marine cembranoids are known for their anti-cancer activity," he said. "So then we became interested in isolating the same compound in tobacco leaves."

And sure enough, that's just what they did.

"This is a remarkable discovery," said Karen Briski, head of the department of basic pharmaceutical sciences. "It demonstrates that there is a helpful, healthy application for tobacco."

Shah, professor of pharmacology, said the discovery came as quite a shock. "I was tremendously surprised considering tobacco is a well-known carcinogen," he said. "This goes against the current dogma."

El Sayed said he hopes to sell the rights to the patent to a company that can support more pre-clinical and clinical testing of the compound so it can be used to develop beneficial applications.

El Sayed said his team also is working with other researchers to explore how the compounds can be used to protect neurological activity in addition to how they can be used to control tobacco addiction.

"Fresh tobacco is an important and relevant agricultural crop for many states in the U.S.," he said. "With this discovery, growers can now start producing tobacco for pharmaceutical use."
 
Comment: Apart from cembranoids, tobacco also contains nicotine and solanesol, which have proved as medicinal in many conditions that cause death and suffering. Just have a look at the following studies:

Tobacco used as medicine
Using tobacco plants to fight cancer
Tobacco plant-made therapeutic thwarts West Nile virus
Health Benefits of Smoking Tobacco
Tobacco-derived compound prevents memory loss in Alzheimer's disease mice
Does Smoking Help Protect the Joints?
Nicotine helps Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Patients
Study supports new theory for nicotine's protective effect against neurodegenerative disorders
Longtime Smokers Less Likely to Develop Parkinson's Disease
Study: Quitting smoking increases risk of developing type 2 diabetes
Smoking Helps Protect Against Lung Cancer
Smoking does NOT cause lung cancer, in fact it just might protect you from nuclear fallout

And note that here at SOTT, we agree with the above article's advice. When we say, "Let's All Light Up!", we mean natural, organically grown tobacco, not commercial cigarettes.