How hard is it to say sorry? Tiger Woods and UK petting zoo edition

Posted on February 19, 2010 by Douglas Powell

Professional golfer Tiger Woods wrapped up his scripted apology earlier this morning and he at least said he was sorry, while lecturing the media and doing some creepy frat-boy-like high-fives at the end with his buddies.

In Sept. 2009, Godstone Farm petting zoo in the U.K. was shut down by health types after being linked to 93 confirmed cases of E. coli O157 amongst visitors, especially children.

this is surrey today reports that Godstone Farm manager Richard Oatway did his own show-and-tell the other day in a bid to win back customers, including:

• extra hand-washing units and hygiene signs installed around the farm;

• a new ‘look but don’t touch’ platform for concerned families; and,

• a temporary ban on interaction with cows, sheep and goats.

Mr Oatway has implemented the changes despite the fact that results of the Griffin Inquiry into the outbreak are still not published.

Oatway said,

"Lots of parents have been with us for a long time and they realise that E.coli can be present in many animals all the time.”

That’s not much of an apology.

Children paraded in support of raw milk

Posted on November 17, 2009 by Douglas Powell

Shameless exploitation of children? Sure, why not. As Henry Fonda said in the movie, On Golden Pond, “What use is it having dwarfs around if they don’t do chores.” (Those are my daughters, eating genetially engineered sweet corn and drinking pasteurized ciider, circa 2000.

But why do some have to be so sanctimonious about it?

This is from Wise Traditions: The Weston A. Price Foundation 10th Annual Conference, that happened last weekend with a greatest hits of raw milk promoters and bullshiters. And, like the line-dancing instructor shouting out fascist routines, these kids are being paraded and chanting, “we want raw milk.” An updated table of raw milk outbreaks is available at http://bites.ksu.edu/raw-milk-outbreaks.

Shopping cart sanitation (and don’t let kids lick packages of raw meat)

Posted on November 5, 2009 by Douglas Powell

Amy, Sorenne and I go grocery shopping fairly frequently. The 11-month-old is curious about everything, a trait I called the day she was born; she’s alert, curious and increasingly mischievous.

When she was strong and co-ordinated enough to sit on her with a seatbelt on the seat behind the handle, a battle of wills soon emerged as Sorenne would have her hands on the handle, then in her mouth, or worse, would try to suckle the handle.

At this point I become much more rigorous and consistent about using those sanitary wipes to wipe down the shopping cart seat and handle.

In 2004, clear displays promoting shopping cart sanitation were novel. And this one from Phoenix (upper right) is far more dramatic and attention-grabbing than a small container nailed to a bleak wall beside the shopping carts, which is still the norm today.

But things are changing.

Last year, USA Today reported that supermarkets and other retailers that provide shopping carts are increasingly looking to limit germ exposure for customers and their families.???, making sanitary wipes more readily available and in some cases, installing a whole cart cleaning system like this one in Wisconsin (photo by Peter J. Zuzga, for USA TODAY)

The trend continues to grow. Newspuller Gonzalo was in the Manhattan (Kansas) Target store recently and snapped these shots (below).

Parents and caregivers also have to think like the bad bug: like, don’t give the kids packages of raw meat to play with or leave within reach. Olga Henao, an epidemiologist for the U.S. Centers for disease control told USA Today last year that doing so triples the chance they may contract salmonella and quadruples it for campylobacter.

“Infants can become ill when they transfer bacteria from the packaging into their mouths.”

Camp and cheeseburgers shouldn’t kill – mother and son describe effects of E. coli O157 illness linked to Rhode Island camp; ‘I want it to be Ponderosa night again’

Posted on November 4, 2009 by Douglas Powell

Stephen Smith of the Boston Globe writes this morning,

The signs of trouble arrived deep in the night: first, bloody diarrhea, then nausea

Austin Richmond nor his mother knew it at the time, but he had been infected with a potentially lethal germ known as E. coli O157:H7. And, according to a lawsuit filed yesterday, the 11-year-old from Lincoln, R.I., caught it doing what many children do when they are away at camp, by eating a cheeseburger.

There were trips to the emergency room, trips to the doctor’s office, and initial confusion over what was causing him to be so sick. For more than two weeks, Austin, a sixth-grader, has been banished from school and not just because of his own illness. There is also concern that, because his immune system has been so ravaged battling the E. coli infection, he might prove especially susceptible to swine flu, which killed another student at Lincoln Middle School over the weekend.

Austin’s mother, Jaimee Richmond, said,

“He just wants to go back to being him. He wants to be able to play soccer. He wants to go to Boy Scouts. He wants to go back to church, which are words I never thought I would hear coming out of his mouth. … “I’m angry, I’m sad, I’m confused, I’m overwhelmed. I just want to go back to normal life. Tuesday night, it used to be Ponderosa night because it’s cheap, it’s family, the kids loved it. I just want it to be Ponderosa night again.’’

All UK E. coli petting zoo kids released from hospital – illness toll remains 93

Posted on October 21, 2009 by Douglas Powell

The final two children who remained in hospital following the E.coli outbreak at a Surrey farm have finally been allowed home, more than a month after the site was shut down by health officials.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said on Tuesday that the total number of E.coli cases linked to Godstone Farm still stood at 93, adding that "all children have been discharged from hospital."

Twin brothers Aaron and Todd Furnell, from Paddock Wood in Kent (right) underwent dialysis at St Thomas’s Hospital in London after falling ill with the O157 strain of the infection following a visit to Godstone Farm.

Two-year old Aaron Furnell spent six weeks in hospital; he still has to be fed food through a tube.

The site closed on September 12, two weeks after the first case of E.coli was reported there.

A third out of 102 samples taken from animals were found to contain E.coli 0157, and the chief executive of the HPA, Justin McCracken, admitted the agency should have acted quicker in shutting the farm.

An independent investigation has been commissioned and will be led by George Griffin, professor of infectious diseases and medicine at St George’s, University of London, and chair of the advisory committee on dangerous pathogens.

Families affected will be asked if they want to have their say during the probe, which will look at how Godstone Farm was being operated, according to the standards and guidance set for open farms, and the response to the outbreak from all relevant parties.

Legal action is also being planned by some parents of children who were left seriously ill.

A spokesman for Godstone Farm said a decision on when the site will re-open could be made later this week.

UK child with E. coli infection dies

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Douglas Powell

The BBC has just reported that a child from Devon has died after being infected with E. coli.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has refused to release any details about the child, thought to be a toddler.

But the agency would say that no clear source for the infection has been found and that no other cases have been linked to the infection.

The HPA has also confirmed that it does not think the child’s death is connected to an outbreak which centred on a petting farm in Surrey.

E. coli petting zoo delusion in the UK

Posted on October 5, 2009 by Douglas Powell

This is how delusional some folks are about E. coli O157 in the U.K.

The Exmouth Herald reports that Nigel Lee, who runs the World of Country Life, has slammed the hype surrounding an E.coli scare as ridiculous after being told he can reopen all attractions following an investigation.

The U.K. Health Protection Agency recommended Lee close the animal portion of his attraction three weeks ago after three children who contracted the O157 strain of E. coli had potential links to the farm.

Of 30 samples collected from sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, pigs and an empty calf pen, E. coli was detected in eight representing a mixed group of sheep, goats, chickens and also contained a rabbit.

A further positive result was found in a sample from a pig pen. Following the examination, the HPA advised the attractions could be re-opened.

Mr Lee was pissed with the HPA after they issued an incorrect media statement three weeks ago which implied the site was completely closed, stating,

"All the hype just got ridiculous. It was just the petting farm and deer train ride that was closed.”

Apparently Lee thinks sick kids is hype, and what about the 8 out of 30 positive samples?

Below is a table of petting zoo outbreaks, largely adopted from a list Bill Marler collected.

Sick kids from petting zoo climbs to 79; parent vows never to visit farm again

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Douglas Powell

Gemma Weaver, 24, of Bramley Close, has vowed to "never forgive the farm" after her three-year-old son, Alfie (right), suffered kidney failure following a visit to Godstone Farm.

“We are taking legal advice at the moment. I will never, ever be setting foot in a farm with my children again. Not just Godstone Farm but any farm."

Mrs Weaver said she still hadn’t heard from (farm manager) Mr Oatway, who added,

“We will definitely be opening again. There are still ongoing investigations but we are sure we will open again."

Three more cases of E.coli linked to a children’s petting farm have been confirmed – taking the number of people affected to 79.

UK child’s face smeared with fox poop after playing in sandbox at garden center

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Douglas Powell

I have some great memories of my kids growing up, playing in the sandbox, covered in runny snot and saying, Dad, is this cat poop?

Cats view sandboxes as giant litterboxes.

Foxes too.

This Is Gloucestershire reports,

Two-year-old Jasmine Westgate was playing in the sandpit at Highfield Garden World in Whitminster when she put her hands in a pile of fox mess.

Jasmine’s father Bruce said,

"It was absolutely vile. Jasmine didn’t know what she was doing and ended up with fox mess all over her face. She ingested some of it too which could have had harmful consequences. There are potentially life-ruining diseases linked with coming into contact with animal faeces. The sandpit shouldn’t have been left in such a state. It obviously hadn’t been cleaned properly by staff.”

Staff at Highfield Garden World, which offers a range of activities for children, said the sandpit was now out of use until further notice.

Managing director Joan Greenway said,

"We would like to apologise to the Westgates for what happened.”

Animals test positive for E. coli O157 on Godstone Farm in Surrey, now linked to illness in 67 kids

Posted on September 21, 2009 by Douglas Powell

The BBC is reporting that lambs, pigs, goats, cattle, ponies and rabbit droppings at a Surrey farm at the centre of an E.coli outbreak have tested positive , with a whopping 33 of 102 samples likely to contain the O157 strain of the infection.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said the total number of E.coli cases linked to Godstone Farm had risen to 67.

Eight children remain in hospital in a "stable or improving condition."

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