Anthrax Part 4: Science and Suspect

Just a brief update and farewell! After Helen was no longer able to join me in recording, I decided I wasn't happy or satisfied with going solo. But, BIG NEWS! I am working on getting re-credentialed and going back to work in the clinic. Maybe one day I will podcast again, but hopefully not as a defunct doctor. Best wishes to everyone and have a wonderful holiday season!!

Ripped from the headlines! In late August, Massachusetts was alerted to a health scare when four individuals were diagnosed with Eastern Equine Encephalitis or “Triple E.” What is this disease and how can humans prevent themselves from becoming infected? Lynne will tell you all about it this week on the pod.  Also, introducing the Doctor Recommended segment - this week: Wonder Drug by Jennifer Vanderbes Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  defunctdoctorspodcast.com Sources: Eastern Equine Encephalitis by Cecilia Banda; Debopam Samanta Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus: A Scoping Review of the Global Evidence by  Tricia Corrin, Rachel Ackford, Mariola Mascarenhas, Judy Greig, and Lisa A. Waddel Clinical and Neuroradiographic Manifestations of Eastern Equine Encephalitis by Robert L. Deresiewicz, M.D., Scott J. Thaler, M.D., Liangge Hsu, M.D., and Amir A. Zamani, M.D. Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus in Mosquitoes and Their Role as Bridge Vectors by Philip M. Armstrong and Theodore G. Andreadis Notes from the Field: Multistate Outbreak of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus — United States, 2019 by Nicole P. Lindsey, MS; Stacey W. Martin, MS; J. Erin Staples, MD, PhD; Marc Fischer, MD Current Year Data (2024) via the CDC As eastern equine encephalitis spreads, a neurologist explains how to stay safe during this latest outbreak of the ‘triple E’ virus by Daniel Pastula Massachusetts will begin spraying for mosquitos after first human case of EEE diagnosed by Laura Haefeli Massachusetts arbovirus update via Mass.gov Mosquito control and spraying via Mass.gov Human Exposure to Mosquito-Control Pesticides --- Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia, 2002 and 2003 via the CDC DEET via Wikipedia Find the Repellent that is Right for You via the EPA Please contact me with questions/concerns/comments at [email protected]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram and TikTok (also Facebook, Threads, & YouTube) 

Lynne’s specialty, developmental pediatrics, is all about how infants and children develop and is closely related to neurology in many cases. So, when she read about a case of an infant with a head circumference too big for the baby’s age, it took her right back to her clinical training. However, the cause of the enlargement was not what she expected. This week, Lynne will discuss the unusual phenomenon in which one fetus absorbs another.    Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  Sources: Intracranial Parasitic Fetus in a Living Infant: A Case Study with Surgical Intervention and Prognosis Analysis by Xuewei Qin, Xuanling Chen, Xin Zhao, Bo Wang, Lan Yao, Hongchuan Niu Teaching NeuroImage: Intraventricular Fetus-in-Fetu With Extensive De Novo Gain in Genetic Copy Number by Zongze Li, MD, Li Ma, MD, PhD, Yuanli Zhao, MD, PhD, and Chunde Li, MD Girl, 1, is found to have a FETUS growing in her skull that was once her twin sister by  Maiya Focht  Fetus in fetu: Review of the literature over the past 15 years by Lindsey M. Prescher, William J. Butler, Tyler A. Vachon, Marion C. Henry, Thomas Latendresse, Romeo C. Ignacio Jr. Fetus in fetu – a rare developmental anomaly by Della Harigovind, Harish Babu SP, Sunil V Nair, Nazim Sangram Fetus in Fetu: Lessons Learned from a Large Multicenter Cohort Study by Heba M. A. Taher et. al.  Fetus-in-fetu by Philippe Jeanty, MD, PhD Kay Caldwell, RDMS Patricia Dix, MD Monochorionic Diamniotic Twin Gestations by Karin M. Fuchs, Mary E. D'Alton Monochorionic Twins via Wikipedia Embryology, Week 1 by Yusuf S. Khan; Kristin M. Ackerman. Embryology, Week 2-3 by Baryiah Rehman; Maria Rosaria Muzio. Teratoma via Cleveland Clinic Data Table of Infant Head Circumference-for-age Charts via CDC Website Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at [email protected]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok  Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

Listen as Lynne tells the story of Ruby Graupera-Cassimiro, a mother and a survivor who came back from the brink of death for reasons that her physicians could not explain. This week - sometimes things happen in medicine that are baffling and mysterious. Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  Sources: What Ruby Graupera-Cassimiro Saw When Her Heart Stopped for 45 Minutes via ABC News 'Miracle' Woman Ruby Graupera-Cassimiro Survives After 45 Minutes Without Pulse via ABC News AFE Survivor, Ruby Graupera, shares her story on Dr. Oz via AFE Foundation News She Was “Dead” for 45 Minutes by Amanda Friedman Mother Dies and Comes Back to Life by Brittany Shammas Amniotic fluid embolism by Kaur, Kiranpreet; Bhardwaj, Mamta; Kumar, Prashant; Singhal, Suresh; Singh, Tarandeep; Hooda, Sarla Amniotic Fluid Embolism by Gist, Richard S. MD*; Stafford, Irene P. MD; Leibowitz, Andrew B. MD; Beilin, Yaakov MD About the Hospital via Boca Raton Regional Hospital website Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation via NIH Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at [email protected]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok  Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

Listen this week as we conclude our series on anthrax and its use as a weapon during the 2001 US postal service attacks. Lynne will discuss the science behind tracking the deadly spores back to their parent flask  - which was under the control of the researcher who became their prime suspect. Learn who this man was and the FBI’s evidence for why he likely committed the crime, even though not everyone who used to work with him is convinced.  Trigger Warning: Brief mention of suicide and discussion of stalking.  Dial 988 within the US for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233  Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  Sources: Anthrax Investigative Summary via the FBI Paul Keim: “We Were Surprised It Was the Ames Strain” by Sarah Moughty New Evidence Adds Doubt to FBI’s Case Against Anthrax Suspect by Stephen Engelberg The Anthrax Case from Spores to a Suspect  NAS Study May Fail to Settle Anthrax Case by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee Did Bruce Ivins Hide Attack Anthrax From the FBI by Stephen Engelberg Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at [email protected]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok  Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

Part 3 of our series on anthrax will finish up describing the last days of the 2001 US postal service anthrax attacks up until the final victim and will review the investigation up until the key 2007 scientific discovery that was able to trace the microbe used in the crime to a single flask in the possession of a researcher at the United States Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). Next week - how did science advance the investigation to its conclusion and who was the man who allegedly committed the crime?   Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  Sources: The United States Department of Justice Amerithrax Investigative Summary Anthrax In America: A Chronology and Analysis of the Fall 2001 Attacks via the Center for Counterproliferation Research (CCR) Fifth person dies from anthrax by Deborah Josefson Widow who died of anthrax laid to rest via CNN Total decontamination cost of the anthrax letter attacks by Ketra Schmitt and Nicholas A Zacchia The Ottilie W Lundgren Memorial Field Hospital via CT.gov The Last Mysterious Days of Anthrax Victim Kathy Nguyen by Bridget Harrison Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at [email protected]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram and TikTok. Also - Facebook and Threads Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

Turns out, a tragic national crisis is a big story. This week, in Anthrax, Part 2, Lynne will detail the reasons why anthrax is a major bioterrorism concern and then will get through the events of the first month of the attacks in fall 2001. Next week - the story continues. Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  Sources: Anthrax: a continuing concern in the era of bioterrorism by Stefan Riedel How To Weaponize Anthrax? By Ufuk Dizer, Levent Kenar, Mesut Ortatatli, and Turan Karayilanoglu Bioterrorism Agents/Diseases via the CDC Biological Weapons Convention via the United Nations Administering the Anthrax Vaccine via the CDC Amerithrax or Anthrax Investigation via the FBI Anthrax In America: A Chronology and Analysis of the Fall 2001 Attacks via the Center for Counterproliferation Research (CCR) Anthrax: In a Time of Terror via the Smithsonian National Postal Museum How it Really Happened Season 8 Episode 3 via Max Anthrax Weaponization via Wikipedia 2001 Anthrax Attacks via Wikipedia Death of Robert Stevens via Wikipedia Mary Morris talking about her late husband Thomas Morris Jr. via Story Corps The Anthrax Mail Attack: Postal Workers on the Front Line by Nancy Pope Postal worker suspected he had anthrax via CNN A Nation Challenged: The Victim; Postal Worker Felled by Anthrax Is Remembered by Elizabeth Becker Neighbors mourn postal worker via CNN Short Audio Clip: Mr. Monk and the Leper: Season 5, Episode 10; Mr. Monk speaking (Tony Shalhoub) Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at [email protected]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok...and YouTube. Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

In part one of this series on anthrax, Lynne will answer last week’s question about why scientists in the second half of the 1800s were so interested in studying the bacteria responsible for anthrax. But also, she will explain how the bacteria works, how it can infect humans, how it causes life-threatening and fatal illness, and how it is treated. As a bonus, Helen explains the terms “gram positive” and “gram negative” bacteria.   Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  Sources: Anthrax: A disease of biowarfare and public health importance by Ajay Kumar Goel Review of anthrax: A disease of farm animals by Emtaj Alam MD et. al. Current Status and Trends in Prophylaxis and Management of Anthrax Disease by Vladimir Savransky, Boris Ionin, and Joshua Reece Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at [email protected]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok  Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

It’s a doozy this week - the origin and history of penicillin. It’s so much more than just Alexander Fleming. From the ancient use of molds in bandages, to the arrival of germ theory, to World War II, Lynne will go into detail to describe the long and, at times, arduous process that ended with one of the most influential pharmaceutical products of all time.  Discovery of Penicillin International Historic Chemical Landmark  The Discovery of Penicillin - New Insights After More Than 75 Years of Clinical Use by Robert Gaynes History of Penicillin by Kholring Lalchhandama The real story behind penicillin by Dr. Howard Markel Alexander Fleming via Science History Institute  Moulds in Ancient and More Recent Medicine by Milton Wainwright Struggle Against Infection by W Fraser-Moodie Syphilis and Salvarsan by Gervase Vernon How a Deadly Fire Gave Birth to Modern Medicine by Linda Marsa Cocoanut Grove Fire via Wikipedia Fulton, penicillin and chance via Yale Medicine Magazine Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at [email protected]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok  Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

On April 6-7 1862, some of the injured soldiers at the Battle of Shiloh were touched by angels that went to work healing their wounds with a glowing blessing. Except, the angels weren’t really involved. At least, not directly. Listen this week to learn the scientific theory that explains the ethereal glow of the maimed infantry and the fascinating dynamic duo of symbiotes who probably made it happen.   Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.  Sources: Why Some Civil War Soldiers Glowed in the Dark by Matt Soniak Angel’s Glow: Bioluminescence Uncovered on the Battlefield by Radhika Ganeshan Phosphorescence and Potential Antibiosis Secondary to Photorhabdus Luminescens Wound Contaminations at the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee 1862 by E. Scott Sills, et al. Toxins and Secretion Systems of Photorhabdus luminescens by Athina Rodou, Dennis O. Ankrah, & Christos Stathopoulos Photorhabdus Luminescens: Virulent Properties and Agricultural Applications by Elizabeth Gerdes, et al.  Comparative genomics of the emerging human pathogen Photorhabdus asymbiotica with the insect pathogen Photorhabdus luminescens by Paul Wilkinson, et al.  Nematode via Encyclopedia Britannica (online) Isolation, Identification, and Molecular Characterization of Strains of Photorhabdus luminescens from infected humans in Australia by M.M. Peel, et al. Photorhabdus Species: Bioluminescent Bacteria as Human Pathogens? by John G. Gerrard, Samantha McNevin, David Alfredson, Ross Forgan-Smith, and Neil Fraser Human infection with Photorhabdus asymbiotica: an emerging bacterial pathogen by John Gerrard, Nicholas Waterfield, Renu Vohra, and Richard ffrench-Constant A Review of Clinical Cases of Infection with Photorhabdus Asymbiotica by John G Gerrard and Robert P Stevens Shiloh Pittsburg Landing via American Battlefield Trust Neonatal Bacteremia and Cutaneous Lesions Caused by Photorhabdus luminescens: A Rare Gram Negative Bioluminescent Bacterium by Ankhi Dutta, Anthony R Flores, Paula A Revell,  and Lisa Owens Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at [email protected]. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok  Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555