They evacuated the Fort wayne In. Post office to be safe, because a white powdery substance broke open from an envelope on the conveyor. Probally nothing, but could this be the next attack? Has any one else had scares?? Anthrax in the mail wouldn't even work would it?

-- Sherrie R Clifton (BryrPatch35@aol.com), October 11, 2001

Answers

Writing from Fort Wayne, IN, I'm here to tell you we're fine. The proper steps were taken and as of the late news everything's OK.

Apparently anthrax has about a two week incubation period so it wouldn't be a very effective distribution method.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), October 11, 2001.

Aaaaah, would putting you mail through the microwave stop their little game?

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), October 12, 2001.

Here in Missouri they got everyone out of the Military bases hospital because of a package in the hallway on the 5 floor that had a white powder. It wasnt Anthax, they dont think it was anything harmful according to there test, but they sent it to the state lab anyway and brought in the FBI. that happened today the 11th of october. dale

-- dale (dgarr@fidnet.com), October 12, 2001.

Same sort of thing here in the central NC area. Someone got an e-mail appearently threatening them with information that they would be recieving anthrax by mail. They then recieved a strange envelope in the mail and promptly endangered half the town's law inforcement population by taking it to the police station instead of just calling someone to make a house call and check it out. IDJITS. In any case, it was a dud. Probably a pissed off ex or some such. JOY. Did I ever mention that I live about 30 min from both a large military base and a nuclear power plant. All the evacuation signs in this area point out.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), October 12, 2001.

Herer in WV ysterday (11th) two families rec'd. white powder in the mail. It was tested and they were decontaminated. Not Anthrax, however they are not saying what the powder really was.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), October 12, 2001.

Tyler post office had the same scare yesterday (11th).

-- ruby (mcfays451@aol.com), October 12, 2001.

Deaconess Hosp. In Evansvillie IN had a simular thing happen yesterday

-- grant (organicgrange@yahoo.com), October 12, 2001.

Just heard on the radio that the same sort of thing happened in a mall near Asheville,NC.

Hey, Soni! We use to live on the west side of Jordan Lake. It was always kind of eerie to see the vapor cloud coming from Sharon Harris!

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), October 12, 2001.

What bothers me is that many of these things are copycats--nutty Americans who are calling in bomb threats and sending things to scare people. I want to see them punished to the maximum! The war against terrorism certainly includes our own misguided citizens!

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), October 12, 2001.

I agree with Ann. Too many loonies in our own country. They found a bag of white substance in the basement of what I beleive the news said was St. Johns hospital in Tulsa, Okla. I haven't heard yet if what they determined it was.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), October 12, 2001.

I think that there are a lot of copy-cat pranks going on. BUT, better safe than sorry. I wish the loonies would get a life! I personally have better things to do than be concerned with their twisted thinking.

-- Ardie/WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), October 12, 2001.

What we have here is a full blown case of Biophobia.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), October 12, 2001.

While listening to CNN's report on the anthrax/mail scare, Hubby and I laid a few ground rules for our household. We get our mail at a post office box. Laugh if you want, but we are going to wear dust mask, long sleaves and gloves to the P.O..We will sort our mail there. ALL catalogs (we get half a dozen a day) and junk mail will be trashed at the P.O. We will only bring home the bills. No choice there. All our personal mail is done by email. Every nutcase in the country will be comming out to do what he can to upset our way of life. And getting his kicks from Setting back and watching a hospital or P.O. being evacuated. I agree with Pres Bush on almost everything. Except, Going about our daily lives as usual. We are getting prepared to hunker down and stay out of every body's way. Thank God we are retired and are in a position to do just that.

-- Belle (gardenbelle@terraworld.net), October 12, 2001.

CNN, just now reporting another P.O., Elglewood CO evacuated. White powder again.

-- Belle (gardenbelle@terraworld.net), October 12, 2001.

I did hear that these fake attacks were actually helping the authorieties practice for a real attack. Lets face it, we are so under prepared that going through the motions may be valuable. Don't get me wrong, I don't think folks should lie,but if this is going to happen, lets use it the most positive way we can!!!

-- sandy (white1001@aol.com), October 12, 2001.

I think we have alot of fearmongering going on right now, certainly. Yet, I have to say one never knows the truth when relying on outside sources for info like our govt. and the media, do they? Have you read/seen on TV about the powder that firsted tested negative for Anthrax, but with further more sophisticated tests, showed positive? What about the NBC employee woman who tested negative for Anthrax until they did an actual biopsy of her skin lesions which came out definitely positive? There is something going on, but shouldn't we ask ourselves, what is the real chance it will be sent to us as individuals? I saw on the news last night that our local little-town hospitals where spending the week and a great many $$ preparing for anthrax invasion. I am all for being prepared, but I choose not to go to these particular hospitals bec. our family has had nothing but negative experiences in them. They are understaffed and very unorganized and this is where they are putting their efforts?? Its as if they have to get in on the latest band wagon to feel big and important. It was almost sad watching the poor 10'O'clock news people giving their predigested version of what the national news and Dateline had just finished with. Its not contagious and its curable in most cases. Bin Laden or whoever has succeeded in creating a diversion and distracting our attention and efforts, but if they were truly serious about this, or whoever is doing this, they'd shoot it in places where we wouldn't know it was there and it'd be something other than Anthrax. Even the flu or pneumonia is deadly without drugs. I am trying to take the events in stride and knowing I can't do much about them for the most part, am trying not to watch TV too much. I think the internet is a better source for up to the minute news for me and I can select what I want to know about or whether I've already seen that edition. Just my 2.5 cents.

-- Catfish (smallfry@hotsheet.com), October 13, 2001.

BTW, I just reread the top of my post and realized my "there is alot of fearmongering going on here, certainly" that could sound like I meant "here" the forum, but I meant "here" my town. Just in case. Hope you all are well.

-- Catfish (smallfry@hotsheet.com), October 15, 2001.

Try as I do to otherwise distract my thoughts, anthrax symptoms are the last thing I find myself thinking about before I fall asleep (no wonder I have trouble waking up!)A powdery substance was found yesterday in my building. The FBI locked-down the bldg. (we were quarantined there!) and 3 hours later they said it was a false alarm - probably "Bon-Ami" cleanser....God bless and comfort us all....

-- Kay (Nomucat@aol.com), October 18, 2001.

Would it reassure any of you to know that health officials in Romania treat 30-40 cases of anthrax with antibiotics quite successfully every year as a matter of usual medicine? And that the locals do not go in terror of contracting it? Granted, it is the dermal form, contracted from working with sheep routinely.

Personally, I'm not using oven mitts and tongs to open my mail.

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), October 18, 2001.