Mad Cow disease is spreading rapidly throughout Europe today. Although no cases have been reported in this country, it could very well already be here. .
Mad Cow disease originated in Germany after some cattle ranchers started feeding their cattle their own droppings. Therefore this is a bacterial disease. Symptoms of this include muscle spasms, seizures, losing control of thinking, unconsciousness and eventually death. The disease literally causes you to go "mad". .
It is spread when the cattle that is infected with the disease is slaughtered. The infected meat is then packaged, and then sent to areas all around the world. It is also spread through gelatin. Most gelatins are made from beef. So any European-imported beef gelatin, such as Werther's candy, could be infected with the deadly disease. .
The disease has spread in Europe. Once a cattle farmer finds one cow that has the disease, he will kill the whole herd of cows. This can put cattle farmers and fast-food restaurants out of business fast. They figure that if was in the feed, and all the cows ate the same ting, then they will probably al contract it. .
Although only one or two cases has been reported in Germany, and only about 11 or 12 cases has been reported across Europe, the disease has a ten year incubation period. This makes it extremely hard to track. It could already be in this country and we would not know it. Doctors are rapidly trying to find a cure before the first case is reported in this country. Since there have only been a few cases reported world wide, it is hard to study the symptoms. .
In societies where this disease has been found have been stricken with panic. Farmers are terrified of losing their herds, people are terrified now that they have eaten beef that may have the disease, and people that do have it and have already started to show symptoms will die soon.
Every one of us may have the disease and not know it.
