Page 63 - Fall2020

All Thumbs Book Reviews

Virus Mania: How the Medical Industry Take the AIDS scare as an example. The
Continually Invents Epidemics, Making authors point to its beginnings, describing how
Billion-Dollar Profits at Our Expense in the early 1980s, a scientist from the University
By Torsten Engelbrecht and Claus Köhnlein of California named Michael Gottlieb identified
Trafford Publishing five severely ill young homosexual men who had
a pulmonary condition rarely seen in their age
It may seem that the world has gone mad. bracket. There were a number of factors that in
Fear of a seemingly uncontrollable virus has led all likelihood compromised the men’s immune
the general public to wear masks, wash hands as- system and made them vulnerable to pneumonia,
siduously, avoid social interactions and disinfect including the nitrite inhalants (known as “pop-
homes and workplaces. Businesses closed their pers”) and other recreational drugs that were
doors or limited their hours. Schools adopted extremely popular in the early 1980s gay scene.
distance learning. And we’ve been told that the But Gottlieb and other researchers overlooked
only solution is a vaccine. these other factors, instead hurrying to search
Though this may seem a time unlike any for a “virus” that could be causing the men’s
other in history, it is not. History is repeating condition. Apparently, many in the medical
itself. This book offers valuable insights that community were thrilled about the possibility
help make sense of the madness. of a new disease on the horizon. The eventual
Originally published in German, Virus head of the CDC’s HIV/AIDS division, James
Mania first appeared in English in 2007. The Curran, reportedly exclaimed “Hot stuff, hot
authors, journalist Torsten Engelbrecht and doc- stuff!” at the time.
tor Claus Köhnlein, review the circumstances Then the conjectures and fear-mongering Pinning the
under which a number of “viruses”—the avian began in earnest. Scientists were on the lookout health crisis
flu, cervical cancer (HPV), SARS, “mad cow” for clusters of people exhibiting the same symp-
disease (BSE), hepatitis C, AIDS and polio— toms, eager to pin the blame on a new contagious on a culprit
groundlessly instilled panic in the public. (You disease. Discussion of nutrition patterns or other that appeared
might think that the latest “coronavirus” should lifestyle choices was off the table (then as now).
make the list. If so, you are right. A new edition Instead, pinning the health crisis on a culprit to be out of
of the book, just released, includes the coronavi- that appeared to be out of our control was help- our control
rus among the baseless crises used to manipulate ful in achieving the desired result: public fear was helpful
the public and make money in the process.) and compliance, and profits through a medical
Virus Mania outlines the steps generally protocol backed by experts. Sound familiar? in achieving
taken to mislead the public: invent the risk of To make sure the public at large would the desired
a disastrous epidemic; incriminate an elusive become concerned about AIDS and HIV—the
pathogen; ignore alternative toxic causes; ma- supposedly “infectious” retrovirus they claimed result: public
nipulate epidemiology to maximize the false was responsible for AIDS—scientists claimed fear and
perception of imminent catastrophe; and prom- that the disease was communicable not solely compliance,
ise salvation with vaccines or pharmaceutical among homosexuals but among the heterosexual
drugs. The authors, like lawyers in a courtroom, population as well. The scientific community and profits
make a strong case for this recurring pattern. began hypothesizing (though there was a lack through a
They also find the leadership of pharmaceutical of evidence) that HIV could be spread through
companies, the World Health Organization, the sexual contact. Scandalous images on magazine medical
Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for covers helped fan the flames of public concern. protocol
Disease Control and the media guilty of induc- Next, AIDS fears started extending beyond backed by
ing pandemic panic for motives other than the U.S. borders. The world became alarmed as the
public welfare and health. media sensationalized a full-fledged AIDS crisis experts.

FALL 2020 Wise Traditions 61