jj@alice.UUCP (03/06/85)
Our local newspaper has an LA Times wire service story today that shows George Bush pouring milk for starving refugees of Ethiopia in Sudan. I'm NOT going to comment on the "propaganda" value of the phote, but I am going to question the wisdom of giving milk to African individuals, in light of the prevalance of lactose intolerance. I don't have any hard and fast information myself, so I'm wondering if someone better informed would know what percentage of 5-10 year old kids in that area would be lactose intolerant, and what the results of lactose reaction are to a person who is suffering from advanced malnutrition. Sigh. -- FESTINA LENTE "...rice is nice, that's what they say..." (allegra,harpo,ulysses)!alice!jj
jhh@ihldt.UUCP (John Haller) (03/08/85)
> Our local newspaper has an LA Times wire service story today > that shows George Bush pouring milk for starving refugees > of Ethiopia in Sudan. I'm NOT going to comment on the > "propaganda" value of the phote, but I am going to question > the wisdom of giving milk to African individuals, in light > of the prevalance of lactose intolerance. > > I don't have any hard and fast information myself, so I'm > wondering if someone better informed would know what percentage > of 5-10 year old kids in that area would be lactose intolerant, > and what the results of lactose reaction are to a person who is > suffering from advanced malnutrition. > An interesting item heard on the radio recently is that recent studies show that cow's milk contains some antibodies that help prevent diarrhea, a major killer in third world countries. This antibody is not found in formula.
werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) (03/10/85)
> Our local newspaper has an LA Times wire service story today > that shows George Bush pouring milk for starving refugees > of Ethiopia in Sudan. I'm NOT going to comment on the percentage > of 5-10 year old kids in that area would be lactose intolerant, Alright, don't blame Bush. Lactose intolerance usually isn't a factor until puberty. It's very rare anywhere to find a child who's extremely lactose intolerant. Two, although a high percentage of Negroes are Lactose intolerant, most Caucasians aren't, and in fact, most Ethiopians are closer to Caucasoid than Negroid -- in every feature except skin color. Therefore, redirect your flames elsewhere. There was absolutely nothing wrong in that picture. If you want to flame, however (this is net.politics, of course you want to flame), flame on the Russians. They sent: 1. Rice - which traditionally Ethiopians don't eat. 2. Canned meat - which is indigestible in people suffering malnutrition 3. Military Hardware, of which some trucks were used for food. (Actually, give the Russians credit for the last one. They ensured that US and western grain would be traveling in vehicles emblazoned with the Hammer and Sickle. Pretty good propaganda coup, if I say so myself.) -- Craig Werner !philabs!aecom!werner What do you expect? Watermelons are out of season!
gjk@talcott.UUCP (Greg Kuperberg) (03/10/85)
> If you want to flame, however (this is net.politics, of course you > want to flame), flame on the Russians. They sent: > 1. Rice - which traditionally Ethiopians don't eat. > 2. Canned meat - which is indigestible in people suffering malnutrition > 3. Military Hardware, of which some trucks were used for food. > (Actually, give the Russians credit for the last one. They ensured > that US and western grain would be traveling in vehicles emblazoned with > the Hammer and Sickle. Pretty good propaganda coup, if I say so myself.) ... > Craig Werner No, no, you forgot something. The Russians also sent Cubans. The Cubans weren't very good for eating, especially since they also had guns to defend themselves. On the other hand, the Cubans brought with them ammunition, which has lots of minerals and is in fact quite filling. --- Greg Kuperberg harvard!talcott!gjk "2*x^5-10*x+5=0 is not solvable by radicals." -Evariste Galois.
presley@mhuxj.UUCP (Joe Presley) (03/11/85)
> themselves. On the other hand, the Cubans brought with them ammunition, > which has lots of minerals and is in fact quite filling. Which can cause instantaneous lead poisoning. -- Joe Presley (ihnp4!mhuxm!presley)
jj@alice.UUCP (03/11/85)
Well, I've gotten mail about 50/50 regarding the incidence of lactose intolerance, some of it pointing out that it is believed (but no references, I fear) that it occurs earlier when the person is badly fed, because the trigger seems to be a lack of lactose to metabolize, rather than a time/age dependant thing. It's clear the question isn't answered, so it's not clear that there is anything wrong with providing milk IN MOST INSTANCES, at least. Thanks to a few people for the public politically based flames attacking for appearing to THEM to be attacking George Bush. It's nice to know that net.med is as intolerant as net.flame and net.politics(.flame). Funny, the people who replied seem to think I'm a democrat. They should read their own net history first. Just remember: -- FESTINA LENTE "...rice is nice, that's what they say..." (allegra,harpo,ulysses)!alice!jj
ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems) (03/12/85)
> Our local newspaper has an LA Times wire service story today > that shows George Bush pouring milk for starving refugees > of Ethiopia in Sudan.... political comments ... > > I don't have any hard and fast information myself, so I'm > wondering if someone better informed would know what percentage > of 5-10 year old kids in that area would be lactose intolerant, > and what the results of lactose reaction are to a person who is > suffering from advanced malnutrition. I don't have any decent reference available either, but I remember from some years ago having read that most lactose intolerance shows up in adolecence. I would suspect that most of the 5-10 year olds would be ok, but teens or adults would have problems. Why don't we send them wheat, rice, beans, vitamin pills, and water purification equipment? -- E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems Comedo ergo dorum This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything.
jc@mit-athena.UUCP (John Chambers) (03/18/85)
> > > ... On the other hand, the Cubans brought with them ammunition, > > which has lots of minerals and is in fact quite filling. > > Which can cause instantaneous lead poisoning. Not necessarily. Several Americal states, as well as many European countries, have been banning lead shot because of serious problems with lead poisoning. It seems most of the lead shot used by duck hunters falls into the marshes, and the bottom-feeding ducks ingest a lot of it. I recall a few years back at Horicon Marsh (Wisconsin) there was a report that around 15% of the local ducks showed visible symptoms of lead poisoning. The lead shot is being replaced mostly by steel, and sometimes by (dense) plastics. If the Cubans use steel bullets, there might well be a decrease of iron-deficiency diseases in Ethiopia. -- John Chambers [...!decvax!mit-athena] If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the precipitate.