PAGING DR. RED JEWEL
Warning: This page is not for the faint of heart or the seriously
hypochondriac.
Now
that that disclaimer’s out of the way… hi!
I’m Red Jewel (that’s Dr. Red
Jewel if you’re a chauvinist pig), resident doc here at HimTak.
Some
might still consider me “fresh out of med school,” but let me tell you, the
time I’ve spent working at the agency has taught me more than I ever learned in
school. I’ve seen some interesting cases
alright, cases that never make it into the medical journals because of the
secrecy that surrounds Himitsu Takana.
(We’re like Vegas – what happens here, stays here.) Most of our secrets never spread outside our
walls.
I
can’t tell you everything, but for those of you who, like me, love a good
medical story – cases about rare diseases, freak accidents, or wacky patients
– I’ll post some of my more interesting
finds.
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Case #003: FANthrax
[Posted 0.00.09]
Full Name: FANthrax
Classification: Virus, developed as biochemical weapon
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Dispensed in gas or powder forms
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Gas form of the virus is airborne; powder form requires direct
contact for infection to occur
Effects: Lungs, skin
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Enters the body through the skin (direct contact) or lungs
(inhaled)
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Once absorbed into the bloodstream, the virus spreads and
multiplies in the body’s tissues
Symptoms:
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Flu-like symptoms (aches, fatigue, fever, cough, nausea)
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Shortness of breath
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Purple urine (due to build-up of blood and heme)
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Bloody sputum, vomit, or stool
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Black pustules on skin (in cases of direct contact)
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Pulmonary edema (in cases of inhalation)
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Internal hemorrhage
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Delirium
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Seizures
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Coma
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Multiple organ failure
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Death
Treatment:
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FANthrax can be prevented or treated soon after exposure
with a vaccine made from an inactive form of the virus
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After the onset of symptoms, an antidote produced with antibodies
from an immune person’s blood can successfully treat FANthrax
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Manage symptoms with medication, oxygen, blood transfusion, and
debridement of skin ulcers
Statistics:
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When vaccine is administered within 6 hours after exposure, survival
rate is 75-80%
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When antidote is administered within 24 hours after exposure,
survival rate is 60-75%
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Untreated, fatality rate is 90-95%
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Symptoms of the inhaled form of FANthrax
begin within 12 hours after exposure. If
untreated, death occurs 1-2 days after exposure.
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Symptoms of FANthrax acquired through
direct contact (i.e. touching something coated with the powder) begin within 18
hours after exposure. If untreated,
death occurs 2-3 days after exposure.
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Case
#002:
[Posted 3.15.08]
Phoenix
Suicide lives up to its name – this stuff is nothing to mess around with! A toxic chemical produced as a weapon by an
as-yet-unknown terrorist organization, not much is known about it. Its effects on humans have been documented
through case studies on the few to have survived contact with it, but it is
still being studied.
Full Name:
Classification: Biochemical weapon
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Can be used in liquid or gas form
Effects: Any part of the body it touches
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Causes chemical burns and severe swelling, which may lead to
infection and permanent disfigurement
Symptoms:
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Redness, irritation at site of contact
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Pain, burning sensation
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Formation of blisters or dead, peeling skin
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Severe swelling
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Vision changes (if eyes are affected)
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Cough, shortness of breath (if inhaled or spilled on neck or
chest)
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High blood pressure
Treatment:
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There is no known antidote for Phoenix Suicide
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Treat symptoms as best as possible using known methods (i.e.
antibiotics, steroids, ice, debridement of burns, pain management)
Statistics:
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Statistics for Phoenix Suicide are not yet known.
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Case
#001: BOOP!
[Posted 2.24.07]
It
may have a funny name, but there’s nothing funny about this disease. (Well, except its name.)
Full Name: Bronchiolitis Olibterans
Organizing Pneumonia (B.O.O.P.)
Classification: Disease
Effects: Lungs
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Can cause decreased lung function, respiratory failure, and death
Causes:
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Infection (virus or bacteria)
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Parasite (i.e. malaria parasite)
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Certain medications (anti-cancer drugs, heart arrhythmia meds,
anti-rejection drugs, antibiotics, cocaine)
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Rheumatological disorders (i.e. rheumatoid
arthritis, lupus)
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High doses of radiation, chemicals, or mold dust
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Underlying lung disease
Symptoms:
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Flu-like symptoms
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Difficulty breathing / decreased lung capacity
Treatment:
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Anti-inflammation meds (i.e. prednisone)
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Lung transplant (in severe cases)
Statistics:
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Mortality rate – 5%
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Recovery rate – 65-80%
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Effects men and women about equally
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Occurs most often in adults between the ages of 40 and 60
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Recurs in 1/3 of people
For
more information, visit BOOPTown! It may look
like The Busy World of Richard Scarry,
but remember, this is seriously “scarry” stuff!
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More coming soon!
