The BSE/TSE Intrigue

Mark Purdey- A man with a mission!
We first met Mark Purdey at the 2003 Alberta deer convention. He was on his way to a speaking engagement at Harvard University but whose schedule allowed him to be AWMDAıs keynote speaker for the weekend. Supporting his theory are lab studies conducted by biochemical expert Dr. David Brown with Cambridge University, and the USA prion surveillance centre at Case University (Cleveland). With growing support, Purdeyıs theory is gaining ground. With study in biochemistry, zoology and psychology he has spent more than 15 years researching BSEıs and TSEıs, developing his theory of environmentally caused prions. Mark lives in the UK with his family. He had special reason to spur on his study of BSE when it arrived on his organic dairy farm in the UK (through a cow not produced or raised by the Purdeys).

Flaws in the Conventional Theory on the Origins of BSE:
Mark began researching the origins of BSE and TSEıs with the UKıs ³mad cow² scare. Although he does not question the ³prionıs² existence in these strains, he does question the origin of those prions. Based on much study and extensive research, Mark has come to believe that prions may be the symptom rather than the cause of BSE (cattle) or CWD (cervids). According to his evidence, these diseases do not act as an infectious disease should. ³Whilst it is well established that the key pathological hallmark of the spongiform diseased brain is represented by a malformed version of the prion protein, known as a prion, there is no actual evidence in support of the assumption that the protein portion of the prion represents the TSE infectious agent. Nor is there any conclusive evidence that TSEs are infectious diseases that can be spread via body to body contact. And furthermore, nobody has offered a credible explanation as to how these abnormally shaped Œprionsı are initially created in the mammalian brain, nor have they explained how these prions are capable of inducing a cascade of self-replication in the TSE diseased brain,² states Mark.

With the arrival of ³mad cow² in cattle in the UK, Mark began his quest for some answers. He successfully won the right to abstain from treating his dairy cattle, (raised on an organic farm) with systemic chemicals (often found in war time nerve gases) used to treat warble fly larvae in cattle. Noticing that the areas of the UK that had voluntarily used these organophosphates in their cattle herds and then followed the government mandatory regulations for warble fly treatment (at double the normal dosage) began exhibiting a trail of regional BSE cases (see figure 1). Was it simply coincidence that in later years when higher concentrations of systemic chemicals were used, BSE became more prevalent? ( See figure 2)

He also recognized that BSE was not showing up in such places as the Middle East, South America, or South Africa where the same bone meal (developed in the UK) was being fed to cattle, in some countries at even higher rates than in the UK. Yet the government still named feed as the cause of BSE and issued a ban on meat/bone meal feed in 1988. But even after that ban, 40,000 cows in Great Britain developed BSE, so another feed ban was issued by government in 1996 (possibly to simply appease the public). Even after the second ban, BSE still occurred. Then it began erupting in other species ie. Kudu antelope (zoo) which were never offered feed with meat/bone meal. Another 5 cases of BSE were found on an experimental farm in England that was deliberately designed to feed organically (no meat/bone meal). He examined various transmission studies, and found that if BSE or CWD is injected directly into the brain, then in some cases it is transmissible. He also noted that this was also the case with many other diseases directly injected, like Alzheimers and some cancers. But scientists and the public were not panicking about the transmissibility of those such diseases. He began to suspect that there was more to the ³reductionist hyper-infectious myth² that mainstream science was circulating.

Environmental Causes Theory:
Thus began Mark Purdeyıs global trek to study pockets or ³cluster areas² (Colorado, Iceland, Slovakia, Italy, Japan, Wisconsin, etc) of this disease to study common environmental links. By testing soil, water, plant matter, etc he found that each of these areas commonly had dangerously deficient copper levels causing a toxic level of such metals as manganese, strontium and uranium. Remarkably, the brains of these diseased animals also presented toxic levels of manganese (and these other metals) and with extremely deficient copper levels. In severe drought, the pine needles and juniper plants develop the same toxic manganese levels (usually 2000 ppm as compared to 200ppm normal range). Mark continued to explain that in drought times, deer generally are overpopulated and underfed, producing massive copper deficiencies in the brain and thus turn to eating the manganese rich plants. (figure 3) Deer with CWD generally have rumens full of grit from eating close to the ground (copper deficient soil). Generally, the brains of CJD patients surprisingly also show 10 x higher manganese levels and almost 50% copper deficiency, once again supportive of Markıs theory.

In many of these areas, he also found high levels of low frequency sound- either volcanoes/earthquakes/fault lines, military bases, aircraft flight patterns, etc. Manganese and chromium are used in audio tapes to absorb sound energy more efficiently explained Mark. According to his theory, the sound energy exhibited in most of these cluster areas, is absorbed by manganese rich brains as a result of low intensity geo-tectonic/explosive shock. Without the presence of copper for conductivity, the ultraviolet light is not able to flow through the system (as it is blocked by manganese) and builds up in the central nervous system at entry points (pituitary, retina, etc), causing a metallic reaction. The manganese atom then becomes permanently magnetized, much like the brain has become like a battery on permanent charge; (interestingly, manganese compounds are also used in batteries). Simply put, the rogue magnetic protein is produced by a magnetic disease caused by magnetic elements. Prize racing pigeons had magnetic homing instincts destroyed due to the sonic low frequency of the Concorde flight path. Is it any coincidence that the highest incidence of CJD in North America is on Statten Island near New York where the Concorde regularly landed or that the highest incidence of BSE has been found in Britain and France, builders of the supersonic Concorde?

CWD NOT caused by game farming:
Opponents to the game farming industry site scientific myth to point the CWD finger at game farms. What they neglect to note is that game farms are the safest place as CWD can be found readily and controlled. Although they claim that overpopulation, confined areas and inadequate species barrier promotes transmissibility of the disease, even mainstream science is finding this to be untrue. Many scientists like Dr. Beth Williams (Colorado) have experimented with CWD. Deer have been enclosed with cattle for over 5 years with no evidence of BSE or CWD transferring to cattle. The experiment has been extended another 5 years. TSE cervid brains have also been fed directly to cattle with no transmissibility.

Wyoming has the highest incidence of CWD, yet there are no cervid game farms in that state. But, Wyoming is an epicentre of major faultlines; (as is Colorado). This is one of the criteria (among others) that satisfies Markıs theory.

CWD mule deer were found on the White Sands military base in New Mexico- yet no cervid imports are allowed and they were found over 250 miles from the nearest high fence operation. ButŠit is a military base (sonic blasting), and it is heavily mined for momolybdenum/manganese oxide. These black crystals litter the topsoil for miles.

Why are governments so ready to disregard this theory?
Government tends not to accept Purdeyıs theory of environmental causes for a number of possible unofficial reasons. Presently, science can not prove that BSE or CWD is transmissible, yet government insists on whole scale slaughter, more out of fear of the unknown (and public appeasement) than out of sound science, according to Mark. Wouldnıt government prefer to control the disease by dealing with the possible environmental factors rather than dealing with the costs of eradication programs? Well, firstly an ³about-face² now would greatly affect the credibility of government and health departments. Secondly, government would be forced to examine and effectively deal with some present practices (military, aircrafts, pesticides, mining, factories, radiation, etc).

Purdey has another theory - government selling out to pave the way for large GMO corporations where government investment means more financial gain than traditional farming. Eliminate more livestock and make way for the large corporations. Is it a coincidence that government farm aid programs (particularly for the western provinces) are generally insufficient and under-funded by Eastern Canadian government?

Mark Purdey has rocked the scientific world with his research. Understandably, he has encountered government opposition and dissension, yet he perseveres. He has undeniably unearthed evidence against the transmissibility ³myth.² His studies point toward ecological imbalance of ultra violet radiation, manganese, copper, systemic organophosphate chemicals (derived from military nerve gases), dioxins, geomagnetism, low frequency infrasound, radar, silver, magnesium, molybdenum and many more factors in our modern environment. His theory is based on the combination and interaction of these prerequisites. Perhaps we will soon find that ³transmissibility² is merely ³genetic susceptibility² and that BSE, and TSEs like CWD are not the monsters of epidemic proportions that the media, science and government have attempted to illustrate.

Mark Purdey (www.markpurdey.com)Š, man on a mission or mad scientist? You decide!

-Tara-Lynn Barks

Authorıs note: Special thank you to Mark Purdey for his help, (for putting up with all my questions!) and for permission to reprint diagrams/pictures.