Terrorism fears

Although Vaccinia was eliminated from the international scene as recently as two decades ago, terrorism fears have generated renewed interest in the large-scale protection of an unprotected population against the disease, which has occasionally reappeared as a result of laboratory accidents and, in some cases, of deliberate dissemination of the virus. This is one example of the primary need for protection against the disease and for suitable vaccine delivery systems. 

In terms of safety, two issues are regularly debated. First, the issue of nuclear waste and, second, concerns over potential terrorist attacks on nuclear power plants. The first objection may be overcome through the introduction of new types of power plants, such as the pebble-bed modular reactor.This type of reactor uses graphite balls flecked with tiny amounts of uranium, rather than conventional fuel rods. With the fuel encased in graphite and impermeable silicon carbide, the theory is that the waste should be relatively easy to dispose of.The terrorism fears are less easily addressed and may ultimately stall the construction of new plants in countries such as the U.S., where these worries are greatest. 

CNN (2004). Cyanide arsenal stirs domestic terror fear. CNN News, January 30. (www.cnn.com/ 2004/US/southwest/01/30/cyanide.probe.ap/idex. html). 

Panic disorders, with or without agoraphobia, affect 1.6% of the adult population (>3,000,000 people) in the United States at some time in their lives. In panic disorder, brief episodes of fear are accompanied by multiple physical symptoms, such as terror, fear of dying, heart palpitations, difficulty in breathing, and dizziness. Panic attacks recur and the victim develops an intense fear of having another attack, which is termed anticipatory anxiety. In addition, the victim may develop irrational fears, called phobias, that relate to situations in which a panic attack has occurred. This condition may coexist with other phobias (agoraphobia, simple phobia, social phobia), depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, alcohol and drug abuse, suicidal tendencies and irritable bowel syndrome. 

Ibid., p.26 J. Anderson, Chemical Arms in Terrorism Feared by CIA, The Washington Post, 27 August 1984, p.C14 Cyprus Death Gas Blackmail Plot Uncovered, The Daily Telegraph, 15 May 1987, p.l. 

Anderson, Chemical Arms in Terrorism Feared by CIA , p.C14 Bremer, Statement included in Hearings,..High-Tech Terrorism, p.37 J. Heinz Jackson, When Terrorists Turn to Chemical Weapons , JIR, vol.4, no. 11 (November 1992), p.520. 

Now Richard of Gloucester has used his cleverness to turn on his own kin. I know—I pray—that Louis is still free, but such hope as that gives me is a small, weak thing, and on its heels comes always fear for him. But chief of my terrors, waking and sleeping, are those for my boy Ned, who is my son in all but name. When I think of his head stooped under who knows what pain, my heart cramps my breath is stopped painfully by grief, as if I have been struck a blow in the throat. 

It was a relief to wake, even with sore eyes and aching flesh, though by day the night s terrors still hovered in the dark edges of my mind. And even by daylight fear and grief for my boys lay in my heart, as heavy as lead. The days wore on, and we lived almost as straitly as if we were indeed in prison. 

These men in the Statler bar — their views were exceptional, maybe. But how many normal voices were heard in Washington How many others, fearing the evil prospect, would greet the future world with solutions that stood upon the worst features of an equally evil past Fear may come to the mind long before physical danger. Footsteps may march up and down the hallway time and again before the knock comes on the door. Then a sudden terror, as if your mind, loosely planted, has been uprooted before it can reach down to the soil or up to the sunlight... . ... 

The nightmare that should have been forgotten in the light of day Yet to Von Knieriem it was still like a child s first wonderment about the Beginning. If what seemed to have happened didn t really happen, some mystery even more terrible than the Imagination must have brought on the fear His terror had been quite as real as if the French had actually yanked him and Bosch from the train and beaten them and thrown them into jail. 

So why now As one of the few who are still alive and able to speak from experience about the details of that decade of testing in the 1960s, I was jolted, as were most citizens, by the events on 11 September 2001. Public fears and misapprehensions about the possible extension of such recklessness to chemical terrorism suddenly began to share the headlines. The real chemical story the story I had long wanted to tell in detail suddenly seemed to be an important one. I realized it was a remarkable story that few were still able to tell. 

Bottom line on chemical weapons (it s the same if they use industrial chemical spills) they are intended to make you panic, to terrorize you, to herd you like sheep to the wolves. If there is an attack, leave the area and go upwind, or to the sides of the wind stream. They have to get the stuff to you, and on you. You re more likely to be hurt by a drunk driver on any given day than be hurt by one of these attacks. Our odds get better if you leave the area. Soap, water, time, and fresh air really deal this stuff a knock-out punch. Don t let fear of an isolated attack rule your life. The odds are really on your side... 

Panic disorder is characterized by the repeated and often unpredictable occurrence of panic attacks. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, panic attacks have an abrupt onset, reach their peak in 10 minutes, and are accompanied by at least 4 of 13 listed symptoms, which include shortness of breath, increased heart rate, chest pain, dizziness, choking sensations, numbness or tingling, hot/cold flashes, sweating, trembling, and nausea. Victims of these episodes feel an intense fear that can be better characterized as terror, often of losing control of their body and/or... 

Fialka, M. Chase, N. King, and R. Winslow, Officials Fear U.S. Is Ill-Equipped to Deal with Biological or Chemical Terrorism, Wall Street Journal (electronic edition), September 18, 2001, at http // interactive, wsj. com /. 

In one study, an inverse agonist was administered to human subjects producing anxiety, terror, cold sweats, tremor, agitation, fear of impending death, and intense inner strain (12). BZD antagonists apparently lack intrinsic activity, but may have both agonist and inverse agonist effects ( 13). For example, they are reported to reverse the increased anxiety that may occur after withdrawal of chronic BZD or alcohol use, and to reverse BZD-caused amnestic effects (14, 15,16 and 17). 

Sleep terrors—A sleep disturbance in which the person appears to wake up screaming and terrified and may cry inconsolably for several minutes. Although the person is not fully awake, the sufferer often shows several physical signs of fear, such as sweating, dilated pupils, and increased blood pressure. Also called night terrors. 

Where is the fear, says. Where is the terror, says. Where stayed the spirit of this child, says. 

A panic attack is a discrete episode of unexpected terror accompanied by a variety of physical symptoms. Associated symptoms include fear and anxiety, as well as catastrophic thinking with a sense of impending doom or the belief that loss of control, death, or insanity is imminent. Physical symptoms can be neurologic, gastrointestinal, cardiac, or pulmonary and therefore may mimic many different types of medical illnesses. Panic attacks have therefore sometimes been called the great medical imposters. Behaviors associated with panic attacks typically include an attempt to flee the situation and eventually to avoid anxiety-producing situations or any situation that has previously been associated with a panic attack. 

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