Book Review: Lab 257 by Michael Carroll - Page 2

The government, of course, denies everything, or as much as it can. In an article about Carroll's book, several people took exception to his theories about Lyme's disease and the like:

"I personally just don't think that has any merit," David Weld, the executive director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation, told the AP.

And Maureen McCarthy, an official of the Department of Homeland Security — which now oversees the lab — told the AP, "I guess my first impression is you can't judge a book by its cover."

At the same time, we know there is a penchant for covering up mistakes which is part of human nature. And regardless of the veracity of Carroll's suggestions about how certain diseases were introduced into the U.S. (which he admits are only theories, albeit ones he feels strongly about), the fact remains that he documents repeated violations not of nitpicky health codes but of the cardinal rules of safety regarding deadly viruses. He tracks a host of official inquiries into the facility's operations by other branches of not only the federal government but state and local officials and the media as well. As he puts it, nothing really seems to have changed; the facility is still poorly run, inadequately protected, and poses an inherent risk that the government seems quite willing to ignore.

I can't help but be reminded of the discussion of New Orleans that took place after the levees failed. I read several pieces on the economics of risk as being a factor in why the levees weren't built to sustain a category 4 or 5 hurricane. And yet the cost of constructing stronger levees pales in comparison to the actual cost of failing to do so. In the context of Plum Island, there seems to be a sense that the facility has made it this far without a serious containment breach and outbreak (or, at the very least, one which the government can't deny). But as Carroll points out, is it worth the risk? Is it really such a good idea to have this facility so near a heavily populated area? More, is it logical to countenance the clearly serious breaches of basic safety principles that seem to have occurred at the facility as a result of neglect, poor management, budgetary problems, and the old saw that "familiarity breeds contempt?"

Article Author: W.E. Wallo

W.E. Wallo is a book and movie junkie whose writings have appeared in a variety of print and online publications.

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