The Price Tag On Health

Walkerton is in the news again. Its been 18 years since a deadly E.coli outbreak devastated this rural town, 150 kilometers northwest of Toronto. Seven people died; 2,500, which is half the town, became ill. Walkerton's water supply became contaminated. A heavy rainstorm washed cow manure carrying a strain of E.coli into a town well and because of improper chlorination, the bacteria was not destroyed. 

Many were sick with gastrointestinal issues like bloody diarrhea and were given a 30 per cent chance of high blood pressure and kidney damage. Twenty-two children had permanent kidney damage, but treatment stopped the illness from getting worse. This was one of the worst public health disasters in Canadian history.

 On May12 the Toronto Star focused on its front page the plight of ex-Ontario Police Officer Robbie Schnurr, who visited Walkerton on a hot day 18 years ago and had the misfortune to drink some water and has been deteriorating ever since. He said the infection destroyed his immune system and led to a neurological disorder that causes the body's immune system to break down and destroy the sheath that covers the nerves. 

To quote Schnurr, ''There's nothing to look forward to, there's no goals in life, there's nothing''. 

Therefore Schnurr fulfilled his wish for a doctor-assisted death. The whole Walkerton tragedy was caused by two men on the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission who did not have sufficient training for the job – something that saved money, one supposes, but to emphasize that under capitalism there is a price tag on everything.

For socialism, 
Steve, Mehmet, John &contributing members of the SPC.