In a message dated 99-02-01 13:57:02 EST, you write: << I very much agree with this post by Louis Pro. I just wonder if to be precise we should say "human life is doomed". Of course, that is the main life form we are concerned about. >> there are a number of biologists, virologists and other ologists out there that think the doom of the human race due to the invisible is very real. While AIDS is the most advertised virus out there against which there is little or no defense, there are several others which also have the medical community stumped. The opening up of the Kinshasa highway in AFrica, the increase in air travel and internationalization have ended the traditional defense against infectious diseases: isolation. The number of new viruses coming out of Africa (and no I don't know why Africa) has increased exponentially in the last two or three decades, and all of this is due to 'development'. Another problem is the increase in bacteria which can no longer be killed with any of the antibiotics on the market. The increase in deaths due to secondary infections (i.e. infections the person did not go into the hospital with) in hospitals has also grown exponentially in recent years. The mis-use of antibiotics, the over-use of antibiotics, and the early twenthieth century western arrogance about medical progress have all combined to create a deadly increase of bacteria against which we have no defense in our immune systems. As to economists -- one of the egregious failures of the discipline is that it does not recognize the interaction between the human condition and economy. For instance, now that AFrica is DEpopulating because of the aids epidemic, the lack of articles addressing why poverty is no longer being caused by OVERpopulation is creating a deafening silence. For years western economists -- and the IMF have blamed lack of 'progress' and poverty on overfertility -- where are their voices now that the opposite is taking place, why are they silent? maggie coleman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
