When an anthrax-laced letter was opened in the Washington office of South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle on Oct. 15, 2001, Capitol Hill staff had good reason to panic. Ten days earlier, Bob Stevens, a 63-year-old photo editor at the supermarket tabloid the Sun, had died from complications related to inhalation of anthrax. The only prudent thing to do, authorities decided, would be to administer doses of the powerful antibiotic Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride -- or Cipro -- to those who were in proximity to the infected letter. Daschle's office adjoined that of Montana Sen. Max Baucus. Baucus staffer John Angell took the drug along with all of his colleagues. Neither Angell, nor anyone else working at the Capitol, contracted inhalation anthrax. The drug seemed to work. But now some are asking, "At what cost?" Days after starting his cycle of Cipro, Angell began suffering pain in his joints and tendons. Walking became labored and painful. He stopped taking Cipro, but his condition did not improve. In fact, his condition has never improved. Chronic pain forced Angell to leave his post with Baucus. He now works as a consultant from home and lays the blame for his disability on Cipro.
Posted by Editor at September 24, 2003 10:31 AM