Page 11 - Winter2017

Caustic Commentary

in The Journal of the American Medical Association found U.S. READING SKILLS PLUMMET
that the risk of febrile seizures after an MMR vaccination Reading scores of U.S. fourth-graders have been declining
is one in six hundred forty, a five-fold higher risk of febrile over the past few years. The U.S. ranked fifth in the world
seizure than the risk of seizure from measles. Applying this in 2011 but now has dropped to thirteenth place, with the
number to the 3.64 million U.S. children receiving the MMR biggest drop in students “in schools with higher free- and
vaccination every year results in about five thousand seven reduced-lunch rates, a rough proxy for poverty.” Martin
hundred MMR-related seizures annually. A large 2007 epi- West, an education professor at Harvard University notes
demiological study found that 5 percent of febrile seizures that “efforts to improve educational outcomes for the most
result in epilepsy. Miller concludes: “There is insufficient challenged students are not paying off” (Washington Post,
evidence that mandatory measles vaccination results in a net December 5, 2017). Of course, professors of education are
public health benefit (bmj.com/content/359/bmj.j5104/rr-13). looking in all the wrong places to explain the decline. It has
nothing to do with “educational efforts” and everything to do
IN UTERO FLUORIDE EXPOSURE with the damage inflicted on our childrens’ vulnerable brains
Pregnant women should be careful about drinking fluoridated by vaccinations, fluoridated water and lowfat, high-sugar
water. That’s the conclusion of a recent study published in diets as typified in free- and reduced-rate school lunches.
Environmental Health Perspectives (September 2017:125(9)),
which found a drop in scores on intelligence tests for every MUMPS OUTBREAK
0.5 milligram-per-liter increase in fluoride exposure beyond A recent article about a mumps outbreak at three Washing-
0.8 milligrams per liter found in urine. The researchers found ton, DC universities caught my eye. The article noted that
no significant influence from fluoride exposure on brain officials are taking steps to control the infectious disease
development once a child was born. The scientists noted by moving infected students to a separate unoccupied
that “Community water, salt, milk, and dental products have space and suspending offering the chalice at communion.
been fluoridated in varying degrees for more than 60 years Conspicuously absent from the article was any mention of
to prevent dental caries, while fluoride supplementation has vaccination—presumably because all the infected students
been recommended to prevent bone fractures.” Pregnant were already vaccinated. The article also lists as symptoms
women need to take extra precautions to avoid these sources “fever, headaches and swollen and tender glands under the
of fluoride. ears.” The report made no mention of the really serious side

POPULAR EXHIBITORS AT WISE TRADITIONS 2017

Elaine Boland of Fields of Athenry Farm donated Ruthie Wetzel and Dr. Jie Zhang at the
gallons of delicious bone broth to the conference, busy Green Pasture Products booth.
including rich beef stock served at the banquet dinner.

WINTER 2017 Wise Traditions 11