Ricin found in UT dorm

[kpete]

Feb. 25, 2006, 12:38PM
Ricin found in Austin dorm; 2 students treated


Associated Press

RESOURCES
Ricin found in UT dorm
AUSTIN — A substance found by a University of Texas student at a dorm has tested positive for ricin, a potentially deadly poison, officials said.

Two students were receiving medical attention for potential exposure, although neither has exhibited symptoms, said Dr. Theresa Spalding of UT Student Health Services.

The chunky powder was found by one of them at the Moore-Hill dormitory Thursday afternoon and reported to university police. Preliminary tests came back positive for ricin Friday.

School officials said they haven't determined where the ricin came from, UT police spokeswoman Rhonda Weldon said.

The powder fell on the student's hands from a roll of quarters she unwrapped to use for laundry. The student's roommate is the other person who was receiving treatment; the quarters had been in their dorm room for several months, Spalding said.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3685243.html

[drm604]

1. It's freaking laundry detergent.

See my post about this here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=517158&mesg_id=517759

[NYC]

3. Thanks.

I knew castor beans were used to fill out the weave in paper to make it smooth. I didn't realize how many ways castor beans were used.

[drm604]

4. You're welcome.

I can't believe I'm the only one to come up with this. It took me less than 15 minutes on Google. Couldn't CNN have come up with this? Don't the authorities know this? And now CNN has removed any mention of "laundry" from their article. :tinfoilhat:

[NYC]

5. CNN removed "laundry" from their article?

It seems to me they are deliberately misleading their readers. Could ricin distract people from the port scandal? I guess it could.

Having read your information, I am now concerned with having wrinkle decreasing vegetable oil in detergent (whether castor beans or some other vegetable). The word "oil" doesn't seem to go with laundry. Makes me wonder if it's time to start investigating laundry detergents. Organic? Who knows.

[drm604]

6. I don't think you have to worry about laundry detergent.

I think castor oil can be considered to be organic, it does come from a plant. Remember that people do take it as medicine (granted, it's very harsh medicine). I don't think that it causes any harm by being in laundry detergents. Although I guess false ricin scares could be considered to be harmful.

[NYC]

7. I'm worried about the cleanliness of the clothes.

It doesn't sound right to have oil in laundry detergent.

I use liquid Tide, so won't be causing any ricin scares, but since my clothes come out wrinkled anyway, why add oil? I'll read the label. (Or maybe not. I'm still trying to convince myself to do the laundry. I hate household chores.)

[malaise]

2. Good thing it wasn't found at

Rice.