Biological Agent – Ricin
A CBRE expert who has been training military personnel for years was talking to me about “crazy stupid” things that preppers, survivalists, and bushcrafters do. I told him about the mushroom incident. Suddenly, the discussion turned to Ricin and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and the possibility of a State Actor or Terror Organization.
Executive Summary:
Over the past three weeks, several highly reliable sources have provided me with empirical data as well as analysis from security professionals who have asserted that Ricin is the actual cause for many of the SARS-CoV-2 sudden, no symptom deaths occurring in the recent (May 1-11, 2020) period. They are warning that people need to be highly alert for signs of Ricin.
I cannot confirm the analysis, but I have validated the empirical data. I will present that below in the supportive data section. I am not asserting that someone is intentionally exposing SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) patients to this bioweapon.
Those working the frontlines of the response to this “crisis” are already at risk from ordinary health and safety issues. Doctors, Nurses, Police, EMS, etc. on the ground are telling me that the people at ground level are lost. They say that no one actually has been read in on any of the formal risk analysis data. Things have happened so quickly and that there is a lot of confusion. Every piece of tangible, verifiable data is essential.
In light of the early assertions that the “virus” was a bioweapon and other new claims asserting that the COD in sudden emergent cases is, in fact, Ricin, I felt that it would be irresponsible not to mention the outside possibility. Vigilance never hurt anyone. My rule is to always err on the side of caution. Since the source material is ubiquitously available in wild settings throughout the world, any idiot or state actor would be able to create the toxin. See the list of incidents involving Ricin on Wikipedia.
According to the CDC, it is clear that the assertion of the analysis is within the possibility. The symptoms are nearly identical to those of SARS-CoV-2. The difference is that there is no antidote for Ricin poisoning.
Cases of Ricin poisoning are rarely identified by health or law enforcement officials. The number of incidents is so rare that most health professionals have no idea of what it is.
If you listen to my radio show with another NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) weapon specialist David Jones that I did on May 17, 2016, you will see that he did not consider a biological attack to be of extreme threat. Listen to the show.
Supporting Data:
Ricin – What is it, and where does it come from?
Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans.
- If castor beans are chewed and swallowed, the released Ricin can cause injury.
- Ricin is found in three forms
- powder
- a mist
- pellet
- dissolved in water or weak acid.
- Ricin is a stable substance under normal conditions
- Ricin can be inactivated by heat above 80 degrees centigrade (176 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Castor oil is extracted from Castor beans
- Castor beans are processed throughout the world to make castor oil.
- Ricin is part of the waste “mash” produced when castor oil is made.
- Ricin has been used experimentally in medicine to kill cancer cells.
(from MedPage TODAY 4/18/2013)
“Depending on the route of exposure (such as injection or inhalation), as little as 500 µ of Ricin could be enough to kill an adult. A greater amount would be needed to cause death if Ricin were ingested.”
It takes a deliberate act to manufacture Ricin to poison people. Ricin is one of the most toxic biological agents known — a Category B bioterrorism agent and a Schedule Number 1 chemical warfare agent.
What are the symptoms of ricin poisoning?
Clinicians should be alert to illness patterns and diagnostic clues that might indicate an intentional release of Ricin.
The extent of manifestations of ricin poisoning in humans depends on the amount of Ricin to which a person was exposed, route of exposure, and extent of organ involvement.
Significant exposure to Ricin would result in a relatively rapid, progressive worsening of symptoms over approximately 4 to 36 hours. Death may occur within 36 hours of exposure. If death has not occurred by 5 days from exposure, the victim usually recovers.
Symptoms
Ingestion Exposure:
Some or all of the following symptoms may be manifest:
-
- Profuse vomiting
- Profuse diarrhea (bloody or non-bloody)
- Severe dehydration
- Weakness
- Influenza-like symptoms: fever, myalgia, and arthralgia
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Hematuria (Blood in Urine)
- Hypotension
Hypovolemic shock and multiple system organ failure may occur, leading to death.
Inhalational Exposure:
Some or all of the following symptoms may be manifest:
-
- Cough, respiratory distress, bronchoconstriction
- Pulmonary edema
- Cyanosis
- Nausea
- Excessive diaphoresis
- Weakness
- Influenza-like symptoms: fever, myalgia, and arthralgia
- Hypotension, respiratory failure and multisystem organ failure may occur, leading to death.
Dermal and ocular exposure by Ricin in powder or mist form can cause erythema and pain of the skin and eyes.
Check out the rest of the article for more details and treatment.
Ricin or Abrin Poisoning
TOXIC SYNDROME DESCRIPTION
Ricin and abrin are potent biological toxins that are derived from plant sources (castor beans and rosary peas, respectively). More is known about ricin toxicity; however, abrin toxicity is similar in its mechanism of action. In the body, these toxins inhibit protein synthesis leading to cell death. Clinical manifestations are dependent on the route of exposure. Ingestion typically leads to profuse vomiting and diarrhea followed by multisystem organ failure and possibly death within 36 to 72 hours of exposure. Inhalation typically leads to respiratory distress, fever, and cough followed by the development of pulmonary edema, hypotension, respiratory failure, and possibly death within 36 to 72 hours.
The amount and route of the exposure to Ricin or abrin and the premorbid condition of the person exposed will contribute to the time of onset and the severity of illness. For example, the inhalation of Ricin or abrin would be expected to lead to a quicker onset of poisoning and to cause a more rapid progression of poisoning compared with the ingestion of either of these toxins, given the same exposure amount.
Signs and Symptoms of exposure
-
- The major symptoms of ricin poisoning depend on the route of exposure and the dose received, though many organs may be affected in severe cases.
- Initial symptoms of ricin poisoning by inhalation may occur as early as 4- 8 hours and as late as 24 hours after exposure. Following ingestion of Ricin, initial symptoms typically occur in less than 10 hours.
- Inhalation: Within a few hours of inhaling significant amounts of Ricin, the likely symptoms would be respiratory distress (difficulty breathing), fever, cough, nausea, and tightness in the chest. Heavy sweating may follow as well as fluid building up in the lungs (pulmonary edema). This would make breathing even more difficult, and the skin might turn blue. Excess fluid in the lungs would be diagnosed by x-ray or by listening to the chest with a stethoscope. Finally, low blood pressure and respiratory failure may occur, leading to death. In cases of known exposure to Ricin, people having respiratory symptoms should seek medical care.
- Ingestion: If someone swallows a significant amount of Ricin, he or she would likely develop vomiting and diarrhea that may become bloody. Severe dehydration may be the result, followed by low blood pressure. Other signs or symptoms may include seizures, and blood in the urine. Within several days, the person’s liver, spleen, and kidneys might stop working, and the person could die.
Check out the rest of the article for more details.
