The Plague Makers

' The Plague Makers is the title of a book by Jefferey A. Fisher, M.D. (Simon & Schuster, 1994). The subtitle reads: 'How we are creating catastrophic new epidemics -- and what we must do to avert them.' I thank Rosalie Funk, ACD's secretary/researcher for bringing this important book to our attention.

'We know the Bible describes a coming DARK TIME of great worldwide plagues -- which may be of supernatural or natural origin (see Lk 21:11; Rev 6:8; 16:2; Deut 28:20-22). From a naturalistic point of view, that prophecy seemed off the mark and contradictive to the direction science was taking our world by its elimination of age-old plagues one-by-one.

'Perhaps not, according to Dr. Fisher. Note this from the book's cover overleaf:

'Shocking in its revelations, alarming in its implications, and overwhelmingly convincing in the evidence it offers, 'The Plague Makers' warns that we are facing impending disaster. Pneumonis, rheumatic fever, meningitis, osteomyelitis, and countless other serious infectious diseases previously considered under control have suddenly reemerged and may soon reach epidemic proportions, plunging the world into a plague of misery and death unlike anything seen in over half a century.

'Recent news of a tuberculosis epidemic is just the tip of the iceberg, reveals Jeffery A. Fisher, M.D., a leading worldwide authority on future medicine and medical consultant to the pharmaceutical industry. The cause, Dr. Fisher explains, is the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, which is resulting in the emergence of virulent antibiotic- resistant strains of bacteria that could lead to catastrophic epidemics of untreatable disease. Dr. Fisher proposes that excessive antibiotic use has also increased the spread of AIDS to the non- drug-addicted community -- a bold hypothesis based on a privileged set of discussions with a group of scientists including Dr. Luc Montagnier, the discoverer of HIV virus.'

'For more on the AIDS subject I quote from page 55:

'I understand enough about the gay life-style to realize that antibiotic use was a natural consequence. The rate of treatable bacterial infections in this population, sexually transmitted and otherwise, was extremely high. Rather than be subjected to what they considered intense scrutiny and moralizing lectures, many gay men preferred to obfuscate the real reason for wanting the antibiotics.'

'This and other evidence led Dr. Fisher to his '...staggering hypothesis: the prolonged overuse of antibiotics to fight minor infections and to act as a general prophylaxis in the prevention of disease could, in fact, be contributing to the development of AIDS. Was this really possible? Could antibiotics be implicated as a contributing cause of AIDS? Was this crazy? As a matter of fact, it wasn't crazy at all. Some of the most highly regarded scientists in the world have come to that very conclusion.'

'I'm no scientist, but it makes fearful sense to me.'

-- The New Millennium, November 1995.