(10) See also Harvard biochemist Matthew Meselson, as quoted in Marshall
1990: 372; and Harvey McGeorge: "Toxins or biological agents can be
made with little trouble, working literally in a kitchen or garage.
Manufacturing a lethal bacterial disease agent requires little more than
chicken soup, a flat whiskey bottle and an available source of seed
culture" (Roosevelt 1986: 40-41). Griffith appears to agree,
asserting that "biological agents can be easily prepared in little
more than a well-equipped kitchen....The growth medium for bacteria is
not much more difficult to make than is Jello; chicken eggs are usually
used for growing viruses." He goes on: "Incubation depends on
an appropriate temperature range more than anything else but a homemade
storage unit of plywood can be heated with light bulbs and made to serve
the purpose. Harvest is probably the most difficult step for the amateur.
First, at this stage he may contaminate himself. Secondly, he needs some
skill at separating the organism 'crop' from the medium in or on which it
has been growing. But a little practice will soon overcome these
problems"
(1975).[Return]
http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Terrorism/cbterrornotes.html
anthrax has many characteristics which make it an ideal agent for use as
a weapon. Anthrax cultures form spores which remain dormant for years,
thus giving ordinance an extraordinary shelf-life. Spores most commonly
cause serious skin lesions, but they are nearly 100 per cent fatal when
inhaled or swallowed and antibiotics are only effective if administered
before onset of symptoms. There is a preventive vaccination, but it is
not widely used or readily available. There is no method for
decontamination" (1987:
193).[Return]
Earlier in the same article, however, Watkins states flatly that
"unlike nuclear weapons, there is no way to restrict the
availability of biological agents....wide availability of natural disease
agents and the inherent ability of micro-organisms to reproduce make it
impossible to regulate possession and production of biological
weapons" (1987:
191).[Return]
