Re: armadillos and leprosy

Actually, were it not for the humble armadillo, we would never have developed the treatments for the disease we now have. (It is about the only way the bacilli can be cultured.) And leprosy, by the way is pretty hard to catch - it is barely contagious, unlike its cousin, tuberculosis. It is feared because of the biblical references - most of which referred to conditions other than leprosy - and because in pre effective treatment days, its lepromatous form was very disfiguring. I spent a day on Molokai's Kalaupapa Penninsula as a guest of the folks still living there. The way they were treated in the old days was truly shameful.
Cathy
On Sunday, February 23, 2003, at 02:17 PM, Jesse Bell wrote:

I don't know about the jumping part Cathy...but when I lived in New Orleans...we had one that was tearing up our yard. I walked out the front door one night and he was in the middle of the driveway. I ran after him, making all kinds of racket and yelling, thinking he would be scared and leave. To my surprise...and horror...he came running after me. It seems they are attracted to noises and light. I won't touch one though because they are known carriers of leprosy.



Jesse Rene' Bell
Claremore, OK
Zone 6





From: cathy carpenter <cathyc@rnet.com>
Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: Re: [CHAT]Clerodendrum trichotomum was: Theresa's pics
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 12:33:34 -0600

I understand (not that we have any in my neck of the woods) that an armadillo behavior that contributes to their tendency to become roadkill is - when in a road, and seeing an approaching car, instead of freezing, they leap straight into the air. Does anyone with greater familiarity with the habits of the armadillo know if this is true...or urban myth?
Cathy, west central IL, z5b
On Saturday, February 22, 2003, at 08:42 PM, Zemuly@aol.com wrote:

In a message dated 02/22/2003 6:26:39 PM Central Standard Time,
gardenqueen@gbronline.com writes:



Armadillos?  In Tennessee??  Wow.
I must admit one hardly ever sees any live ones. They must do their digging
at night, then burrow during the day. They seem to be the favorite road kill,
though. <LOL> The word is they all walked over the I-10 bridge at New Orleans.

zem
zone 7
West TN

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