Botulism outbreak claims life of heroin user in Dublin

Varkov

11/12/2008 - 07:48:36
An investigation is underway into a possible outbreak of botulism among heroin users in Dublin.

Details of the probe emerged last night following the death of a patient yesterday.

The HSE subsequently confirmed that six possible cases of the disease have been identified in the past fortnight.

Officials are trying to determine whether the outbreak may be linked to a batch of contaminated heroin.

Botulism is caused by a toxin released by the clostridium botulinum bacterium and can affect drug users who inject into soft tissue rather than veins.

The disease can lead to problems with vision and paralysis and can be fatal in 5-10% of cases.

Drug users are being advised to seek medical help if they experience neurological difficulties and alerts have been issued to drugs services and emergency departments.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2008/1211/ireland/mhsnauaumhkf/

I'm not sure what word I'm looking for here. Ironic? Hilarious?

DanGlee

User: Hey doc, I'm having trouble with my vision and I feel funny?
Doc: OK, what happened, what have you been doing?
User: I injected Heroin?
Doc:Erm.. OK...
User: Should I be worried?
Doc: Yeah... EPIC FAIL!

/Sarcasm

buckieburd

Varkov wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2008/1211/ireland/mhsnauaumhkf/

I'm not sure what word I'm looking for here. Ironic? Hilarious?

Hilarious? WTF are you sick in the head?

Varkov

Nope.

Well, maybe :pac:

wyndham

FFS first the pork and now the heroin. I'm moving to Switzerland.

Nodin

I'd imagine the complaints line would jammed at this stage....

'Hello? I'm holding for Skango....No, I don't want to talk to Deco, he was far from helpful the last time, thats why I'm ringing again....What?.....Then put him back in his gourd....Tell him he's losing customers by the second with his attitude - that'll snap him out of it'

ewj1978

erm? and whats the problem exactly?

Cookie_Monster

Its all a ploy by the NWO Government to kill off the drug users making the world a Nanny State safer place....

Quick someone tell RTDH so he can publicise it for them

stovelid

Varkov wrote: »

I'm not sure what word I'm looking for here. Ironic? Hilarious?

Sad? It being the death of somebody and all?

Carturo

stovelid wrote: »

Sad? It being the death of somebody a junkie and all?

What I want to know is: Why are they being warned?

Varkov

stovelid wrote: »

Sad? It being the death of somebody and all?

Sad? No.

skelliser

isnt botulism not the plague?!

Terry

skelliser wrote: »

isnt botulism not the plague?!

No. It's latin for sausage.

It's also botox.

DanGlee

skelliser wrote: »

isnt botulism not the plague?!

No. http://fire.ci.st-helena.ca.us/articlePrint.cfm?id=19

All you ever needed to know and more!

Cuddlesworth

Are we going to see a memorial in the papers a year later for this junkie too?

slipss

Varkov wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2008/1211/ireland/mhsnauaumhkf/

I'm not sure what word I'm looking for here. Ironic? Hilarious?

Ahahahaha a seventeen year old girl died of butulism. Yeah ****ing hilarious, go suck on a plug socket you cunnt.

poisoned heroin - how novel - the possibilities are endless, poisoned coke and alcohol and weed and pork, oh no wait

imagine 100% fatality rate sure we wouldnt have a drug problem anymore and our crime rate would plummet, we could cut down on Garda numbers and save the state money and help fight the recession

its a win win

IvySlayer

Any idiot who knows that these are dangerous/poisoned really shouldn't be surprised if they have a painful death.

Although when the pork contamination thing came I still had a lovely sauasge sandwich :pac:

Terry

slipss wrote: »

Ahahahaha a seventeen year old girl died of butulism. Yeah ****ing hilarious, go suck on a plug socket you cunnt.

Banned.

DanGlee

Deleted User wrote: »

poisoned heroin - how novel - the possibilities are endless, poisoned coke and alcohol and weed and pork, oh no wait

imagine 100% fatality rate sure we wouldnt have a drug problem anymore and our crime rate would plummet, we could cut down on Garda numbers and save the state money and help fight the recession

its a win win

Thats kinda good idea...

It would be like Skanga Roulette... inject at your peril! You may or may not get botulism...

The options are give up or die. Society sorted.

Some people may comment on this as a gross and disgusting idea but its just cleansing really... cleaning the streets of the scum that made the world part of what it is today. (and please don't give me bleeding heart stories saying its not their fault, its an addiction etc...) it wasn't an addiction when the picked up that first needle... they had choices and options like we all do... I have chosen to never do drugs... and I don't very simple!

Don't get me wrong, somebody died, and its very sad, that is still somebody's child, brother, uncle (maybe even father) and I feel for all them for their loss, but we can't all go around apologising for them... tough love needs to be upheld and we as a society need to say we don't want this on our streets... on our doorsteps!

Again, sorry if you don't like these words, but it needs to be said, here and in govt, council, carers, police...

since when is everyone on boards so fucking high and mighty that they can laugh about somone dying from contaminated heroin.

what have ye done in your lives that gives you the right to say "hilarious" or say they deserve it.. that person is someones sibling, child or parent.






side-note: if it had been a famous model who died of botulism, we'd all be angry at the drug dealer.

boring_job_guy

Another easily preventable death.

And another "victory" for America's "abstainance only" approach to drugs (which we blindly follow).

during prohibition in america thousands died coz of contamined alcohol, not so high and mighty now....eh?

This wouldn't have happened if it was quality controlled like in switzerland.

Nehaxak

Have seen similar to this happen back in, ooh I think it was the late 80's, heroin supplies were intentionally infected. Not sure this time if the supplies were intentionally infected though but it's not unheard of.

Dudess

IvySlayer wrote: »

Any idiot who knows that these are dangerous/poisoned really shouldn't be surprised if they have a painful death.

How would they know it's poisoned? And the "craving" (for want of a better word) someone gets for heroin is like nothing you or I will ever have the horror of knowing hopefully. The withdrawal symptoms are so vicious, I heard one young male addict remark he wouldn't wish them on the gang of thugs who raped his sister.

mountainyman

Terry wrote: »

Banned.

he shouldn't be banned for that what if he knew the junkie?

Cuddlesworth

mountainyman wrote: »

he shouldn't be banned for that what if he knew the junkie?

She made her choice, he made his.

Dudess

Dudess wrote: »

I heard one young male addict remark he wouldn't wish them on the gang of thugs who raped his sister.

lol what a useless bastard, would hate to be his sister

Trev M

Terry wrote: »

Banned.

so Its ok to laugh at someone dying but not ok to express disgust at someone laughing at someone dying , strange ...very strange....way to "moderate"

mountainyman

on after hours boards moderates you

Terry

boring_job_guy wrote: »

Another easily preventable death.

And another "victory" for America's "abstainance only" approach to drugs (which we blindly follow).

during prohibition in america thousands died coz of contamined alcohol, not so high and mighty now....eh?

This wouldn't have happened if it was quality controlled like in switzerland.

So America is to blame for some idiot deciding to abuse a highly addictive drug?
That's a new one.

I don't want to hear the bleeding heart 'oh, but he didn't know he would get addicted. Poor timmy' bull that usually accompanies these threads.

mountainyman wrote: »

he shouldn't be banned for that what if he knew the junkie?

Problem with my moderating?
Take it to feedback or I'll ban you for arguing with a moderator.

Stabshauptmann

Deleted User wrote: »

side-note: if it had been a famous model who died of botulism, we'd all be angry at the drug dealer.

I disagree, Id never heard about katie french before she died.

boring_job_guy

Terry wrote: »

So America is to blame for some idiot deciding to abuse a highly addictive drug?

no, but it's their regime that caused the death. Otherwise users would have just taken their safe, quality controlled heroin (and medical grade heroin is quite safe- they give it to cancer patients) and death-rates would drop drastically.

I don't want to hear the bleeding heart 'oh, but he didn't know he would get addicted. Poor timmy' bull that usually accompanies these threads.

I see.... what you're saying is that if you take heroin you get exactly what you deserve.

I totally agree. However it's actually the illegality of heroin that causes most of the problems not the heroin itself. Otherwise there'd be no more problems with it than tobacoo (which is equally addictive).

These extra problems the addict does not deserve.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Deleted User wrote: »

side-note: if it had been a famous model who died of botulism, we'd all be angry at the drug dealer.

There's a recent thread around here you clearly missed!

Dudess

Once again, the usual judgemental, heartless, hypocritical high-horse mounting from people who haven't got a clue what they're on about and no doubt plenty of them go out and get absolutely smashed at least one night a week and may develop alcoholism in years to come, or serious liver problems, and ruin the lives of those around them... but that's ok, because alcohol is legal.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

There's a recent thread around here you clearly missed!

linky? i'm intrigued

rubadub

I hear tescos are recalling all heroin and giving full refunds, well Anto outside the back of tesco.

Most heroin "overdoses" are actually deaths due to contaminations, and most true overdoses are unexpectedly pure heroin, i.e. they have no regulation to see what does they are taking.

If drug addicts were dying after illegally buying smuggled contaminated tobacco there would be more pity, even though they also would have performed an illegal act (and funded organised crime blah blah).

Kaptain Redeye wrote: »

I disagree, Id never heard about katie french before she died.

But thats the point, neither did I, but if a pretty model had died from heroin it would be the same story.

ordinary_story

Dear God is somebody trying to suggest that there may be a health risk in using an intravenously applied uncontrolled substance:eek:

Terry

boring_job_guy wrote: »

no, but it's their regime that caused the death. Otherwise users would have just taken their safe, quality controlled heroin (and medical grade heroin is quite safe- they give it to cancer patients) and death-rates would drop drastically.



I see.... what you're saying is that if you take heroin you get exactly what you deserve.

I totally agree. However it's actually the illegality of heroin that causes most of the problems not the heroin itself. Otherwise there'd be no more problems with it than tobacoo (which is equally addictive).

These extra problems the addict does not deserve.

So you think that it's ok for people to take a drug that consumes your entire life?

I don't think it is, but then again, what would I know? I'm only addicted to legal drugs.


rubadub, many people OD when they relapse and take the amount they took before getting clean. Their bodies can't cope with the extra heroin.

um7y1h83ge06nx

ordinary_story wrote: »

Dear God is somebody trying to suggest that there may be a health risk in using an intravenously applied uncontrolled substance:eek:

I agree. How 'safe' is something like heroin anyway at the best of times?

It is a little sad that some-one died, but anyone that takes heroin surely realises the dangers associated with it.

the_syco

Deleted User wrote: »

since when is everyone on boards so fucking high

Someone donated a black bin bag of weed yesterday to AH.

boring_job_guy wrote: »

These extra problems the addict does not deserve.

I call it karma. You harm someone when mugging them to get funds, you die from the heroin that you buy with the funds.

Dudess wrote: »

Once again, the usual judgemental, heartless, hypocritical high-horse mounting from people who haven't got a clue what they're on about and no doubt plenty of them go out and get absolutely smashed at least one night a week and may develop alcoholism in years to come, or serious liver problems, and ruin the lives of those around them... but that's ok, because alcohol is legal.

They took a choice, they failed at life. I've been offered free coke, E, acid, various tablets, and I've refused. It's not if it's legal or not, it's if you know what may happen, but still take it.

Dudess

ordinary_story wrote: »

Dear God is somebody trying to suggest that there may be a health risk in using an intravenously applied uncontrolled substance:eek:

You say that as if all heroin is spiked with poison.

Anti

oh noes, another dirty junkie dead. What a shame

Terry

Dudess wrote: »

You say that as if all heroin is spiked with poison.

Not the case, but it can still kill you.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Issac Many Ferret wrote: »

I agree. How 'safe' is something like heroin anyway at the best of times?

It is a little sad that some-one died, but anyone that takes heroin surely realises the dangers associated with it.

Considering how many junkies exist it would appear it usually doesn't kill you.

Have to admit my first thought was "good, one less junkie". I really hate being near them. With their veiled-threat begspeak and having to watch your back in case they have a syringe.

boring_job_guy

Terry wrote: »

Not the case, but it can still kill you.

Not really if you were taking a measured dose.

Dudess

the_syco wrote:

It's not if it's legal or not, it's if you know what may happen, but still take it.

It's totally a case of whether it's legal or not - the people here who regularly moralise about drug use never express any outrage about binge-drinking. In fact they condone it.
And don't tell me some kid whose illiterate mother had him when she was 16 and offers him a home with absolutely zero stability and often neglects him and he lives in extreme poverty and squalour and has dropped out of school barely into his teens... don't tell me that kid isn't a victim and is strong enough to refuse or resist heroin.

It's extremely arrogant and ignorant of people here to think "oh if I were him I'd just flat out refuse to take it". Like you'd fukking know...

havana

Why why why do i continue to open these threads. I know as i'm doing it i'm going to regret it. Some people make me despair for the human race. And i'm not talking about the 'junkies' here.

cornbb

Terry wrote: »

Not the case, but it can still kill you.

There are lots of things that people do/take in life that can kill them, and yet we don't demonise them as "junkie scum".

Why don't we demonise rock stars or celebrities that spend their lives taking heroin? William S. Burroughs was a heroin addict for 50 years and he is only remembered as a brilliant author. Think of Kurt Cobain, etc. You lot are not lashing out at a drug: you are lashing out at one of Ireland's poorest, most vulnerable social castes and using the drug as a hollow excuse.

I don't get it, what are people being so callous and blaseé about a young woman they know virtually nothing about, except for the fact that she habitually injected a substance into her arm? Did it occur to any of you that maybe she brought some form of good to the world?

Edit:

havana wrote:

Why why why do i continue to open these threads. I know as i'm doing it i'm going to regret it. Some people make me despair for the human race. And i'm not talking about the 'junkies' here.

+1,000,000, I'm a glutton for punishment

ordinary_story

Its human nature, we laugh at other peoples misfortune, Laurel and Hardy wouldnt have been successful if people werent so amused by watching other people get hurt.

The overwhelming attitude here is "I dont take heroine so therefore I'm not affected by this. I am more fortunate/better than those that do"

You can argue that we should be tolerant and have sympathy but it may be easier to accept that life is not fair and people are generally assholes

PhilipMarlowe

Dudess wrote: »

It's extremely arrogant and ignorant of people here to think "oh if I were him I'd just flat out refuse to take it". Like you'd fukking know...

Yet you readily berate people for being 'ignorant' of something you clearly say they can never know? Boggle.

shane86

Kaptain Redeye wrote: »

I disagree, Id never heard about katie french before she died.

How? You arent the first person I have heard say this, and it baffles me, as even if (like me) you had zero interest in her private life or whatever shop she was opening, fact is she was in the paper 7 days a week for 8 or 9 months before her death. Unless you completely cut yourself off from all print media I find it very surprising you never heard of her. Hell, the only thing I know about Gordon Ramsay is that he is a chef, but thanks to 5 people in Oz seperatly mentioning to me out of the blue that he cheated on his wife of 12 years, I know all about it. I dont particularly care, but the news is unavoidable (he is even bigger over there than th UK, christ 5 different girls mentioned it. I DONT CARE!)

Was this girl 17 anyway? Didnt see it anywhere.