I recently reread "Hosts", and I have a question for the good Doctor Wilson:
If Jack and his sister Kate could be infected by a small portion of the infected person's blood, why didn't Jack think that perhaps his blood, since it had antibodies to fight the "Otherness" virus, would kill the virus in Kate's body. Since she was basically facing a death sentence, being controlled by the hive, anything would be better than submission.

I have seen the medical community sit by and watch people with AIDS, or cancer, just waste away, since the AMA won't allow any doctors to "think outside the box", and just use drugs to make the patient confortable, and allow them to die in a "dignified manner"! There is nothing dignified about allowing a hideous virus like AIDS, or cancer, eat a human from the inside out! The AMA would rather let people die, than let anyone experiment with any "unapproved" drugs or procedures, like the one explained in the book.

BTW: is that a real procedure? I found it fantastic, in the treatment of tumors.
Lexx

I know you addressed this to Paul....but, there are meds to keep people comfortable where there is intractable pain in the dying process. It's a combination of narcotics and anti-anxiety meds plus meds to dry up secretions. It's what we call "the golden 3".

But I think you're advocating assisted suicide....something many want, yet by law and medical ethics, we can not offer at this time.

As to targeted therapies to treat specific tumors....yup....being done with monoclonal antibodies and murine manufactured treatments.

I recently reread "Hosts", and I have a question for the good Doctor Wilson:
If Jack and his sister Kate could be infected by a small portion of the infected person's blood, why didn't Jack think that perhaps his blood, since it had antibodies to fight the "Otherness" virus, would kill the virus in Kate's body. Since she was basically facing a death sentence, being controlled by the hive, anything would be better than submission.

.
Lexx

Because Jack didn't learn his blood was speciel until the end of "Bloodlines". Well after "Hosts".

I recently reread "Hosts", and I have a question for the good Doctor Wilson:
If Jack and his sister Kate could be infected by a small portion of the infected person's blood, why didn't Jack think that perhaps his blood, since it had antibodies to fight the "Otherness" virus, would kill the virus in Kate's body. Since she was basically facing a death sentence, being controlled by the hive, anything would be better than submission.

I have seen the medical community sit by and watch people with AIDS, or cancer, just waste away, since the AMA won't allow any doctors to "think outside the box", and just use drugs to make the patient confortable, and allow them to die in a "dignified manner"! There is nothing dignified about allowing a hideous virus like AIDS, or cancer, eat a human from the inside out! The AMA would rather let people die, than let anyone experiment with any "unapproved" drugs or procedures, like the one explained in the book.

BTW: is that a real procedure? I found it fantastic, in the treatment of tumors.
Lexx

I don't know where to begin with all the misinformation here. The AMA doesn't make the rules, the FDA does, and lawyers sue docs who use off-label therapies.

If Jack and his sister Kate could be infected by a small portion of the infected person's blood, why didn't Jack think that perhaps his blood, since it had antibodies to fight the "Otherness" virus, would kill the virus in Kate's body.

Did Jack have antibodies to fight the "otherness" virus? Seems to me that what he actually has is "otherness" DNA.

Ken V.

Did Jack have antibodies to fight the "otherness" virus? Seems to me that what he actually has is "otherness" DNA.

Ken V.

And what if he's A+ and she 's B-? I read somewhere that that's not good.

I know you addressed this to Paul....but, there are meds to keep people comfortable where there is intractable pain in the dying process. It's a combination of narcotics and anti-anxiety meds plus meds to dry up secretions. It's what we call "the golden 3".

But I think you're advocating assisted suicide....something many want, yet by law and medical ethics, we can not offer at this time.

As to targeted therapies to treat specific tumors....yup....being done with monoclonal antibodies and murine manufactured treatments.

Now, what part in what I said advocates suicide? I was not talking about any drugs to keep the pain down, I was talking about the FDA (I had mistakenly said the AMA, although I think they are a part of the problem as well) not allowing drugs out that could help people dying of cancer or other maladies. They want to "test" the drugs thru clinical tests for anywhere between 7 to 11 years before they are approved. The pharm corporations spend millions of dollars testing drugs that are shot down before anyone really knows if they are helpful or not. There is a very fine line that has to be followed, to prevent any nonapproved drugs getting out to the public. While I agree to a certain extent, I think that the government isn't allowing a full range of testing. Dr. Wilson is correct, as I am NOT a medically educated person, so I don't know all the details of every situation, but I have read some.
Secondly, if the blood in Jack's body was different than his sisters, then the chance that the blood in Jeanettes body was different than Kate's, but it still infected her! Therefore, the "otherness" DNA in Jack's body could possibly apply to ALL blood types, and could have saved Kate. But, as we found out later on, every personal connection to Jack was supposed to be removed, so he would not be distracted from his destiny, being the warrior for the planet! At least, Jack could have tried. Worse thing that would have happened, is Kate would still be dead! He should have realized that his blood had saved him, or Kate should have known that there was something in his blood. Just seems like an obvious situation that was ignored.

Lexx

Now, what part in what I said advocates suicide?

Your statement below.

....since the AMA won't allow any doctors to "think outside the box", and just use drugs to make the patient confortable, and allow them to die in a "dignified manner"!

I also said...."I Think...." since it appeared to me you were advocating death with dignity, one of the assisted suicide's mantras.


and this scipt is giving me a headache! ugh.

And what if he's A+ and she 's B-?

Then there could be no transfusion.

I read somewhere that that's not good.

It's not.

Medical researchers have probably found other factors in blood over the years, but basically there is what I'll call (for lack of a better term) "basic blood," which is type "O". Then there are types with "additives" like factors "A" and "B" -- including the type that has both "A" and "B."

Then there is the "Rhesus" Factor which is an "either/or" thing -- you either have it, (+) or you don't, (-).

You can transfuse a "don't" type of blood to someone who has "do" blood. but not the other way around -- the body will reject it. Or make them very sick.

So, blood without any other factor -- O negative -- can be used by anybody who has either O+, A-, A+, B-, B+, AB-, or AB+. Someone who has O- blood is called a universal donor.

While someone who has AB+ is called the universal recipient.

As an aside, this reminds me of the John Wayne movie HATARI. In one scene on character (called "the Indian") needs a transfusion. The doctor claims that he has a rare blood type -- AB negative -- and that it might be difficult to find a donor. WRONG!

Anybody with RH negative blood can donate to him -- A-, B-, AB-, or O-.

I hope I haven't added to the confusion.

Ken V.

Your statement below.



I also said...."I Think...." since it appeared to me you were advocating death with dignity, one of the assisted suicide's mantras.


and this scipt is giving me a headache! ugh.

Actually, my statement was in support of Doctors that can come up with a new and better idea. About 8-10 years ago, I read a story about a new drug that would incapsulate any cancerous cells, thereby starving off the cancer, and leaving healthy cells alone. this was a great idea! But what happened to it? It just vanished! Seems like the FDA, AMA, and the medical community doesn't want any 'cureall' drug to come along and cure people.
The thing about "dying with dignity" was a DOCTOR'S mantra, pumping up their patients with pain numbing drugs, like moriphine, to the point of death. "She died peacefully in her sleep". I HATE when a doctor tells the family of a patient that! I don't believe in a peaceful death, I want to go out fighting every minute of the time I have left. Let me go down in a "Blaze of glory" that sort of thing. I have a feeling that is the way that Jack would like to go out, not lying in a hospital bed with tubes running out of every orafice in his body! YUCK! And I sure as hell don't avocate any killing of any kind, unless
of course killing one person would SAVE lives of others, as Jack has sometimes done.

What's a "scipt"???

Lexx