Chlorine and Cholera, II

Cholera is continuing to spread in Iraq.

As I pointed out the other day, the disease's progress is connected to a shortage of chlorine in Iraq, which in turns  seems to have been caused  by  the U.S. and Iraq putting heavy restrictions in the movement and sale of chlorine. The restrictions were put in place after a spate of chlorine-boosted bombings this past spring. Yet the chlorine itself caused few casualties and apparently hasn't resulted in a single death. As I wrote the other day:

In other words, the biggest damage from chlorine bombs--as with so many terrorist attacks--has come from overreaction to it. Fear operates as a "force multipier" for terrorists and in this case has helped them cut off Iraq's clean water.

Perhaps I'm somehow wrong in making these connections. I'm certainly not an expert on chemicals or chlorine. And I'm also in a place right now to do much reporting.  But I hope somebody who is, does.

UPDATE, from the BBC: First cholera death hits Baghdad.   

Comments

[Philip Chapman-Bell]

Ever read Bleak House? Cholera is a symptom of constipation in the body politic.

Of course, this outbreak is more like Munchausen-by-proxy -- it's impossible to imagine the Iraqis cut off the chlorine supply on their own hook.