Ever been really angry about animal agriculture and antibiotics? No? You haven't read enough about it then.
The poor critters raised in concentrated
animal feeding operations are routinely fed antibiotics to promote
growth (yup, read that right) and to ward of disease (yes, in advance
of getting ill) caused by living in terrible, crowded, unsanitary
conditions. The microorganisms raised in that stew of antibiotics
and filth develop immunity to regular antibiotics (E.
coli O157:H7 anyone?). So, when the critters do get sick, they must
be treated with the strongest stuff available.
In response to Rick Wiess's article in the Washington Post on Sunday, which contains this choice quote:
"The drug, called cefquinome, belongs to a class of highly potent antibiotics that are among medicine’s last defenses against several serious human infections. No drug from that class has been approved in the United States for use in animals,"
Dairy
Queen expresses some justified outrage on Ethicurian.com:
What I'm reading now:
Reversal of Fortune by Bill Mckibbon in Mother Jones
"For most of human history, the two birds More and Better roosted on the same branch. You could toss one stone and hope to hit them both. . .
But the distinguishing feature of our moment is this: Better has flown a few trees over to make her nest. And that changes everything. Now, with the stone of your life or your society gripped in your hand, you have to choose. It's More or Better."
Did you know that ketchup was originally a British condiment made from salted anchovies? Tomato ketchup wasn't invented until the late 1700's by an American in New Jersey who decided to try love apples instead of fish.
You'd know this if you were reading Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky.
You can get some of the same information and some conflicting information on Wikipedia (but can't you always?).
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