Who is the real vector?

Who is the real vector?

Today afternoon I had a chance to visit my workplace because of little Todos in my tasklist. I had a friend who visited the same time too. I had a casual chat with him for a few minutes before he was leaving for the day and he was telling that he was actually not feeling well with a little high temperature and common cold. Since these days, the incidence and prevalence of H1N1 (aka) Swine Flue seems not to be that uncommon in any part of the land area on the planet earth, there was a little affectionate teasing as whether swine flu visited him. He immediately screamed in negation because of the fear of it.

As the discussion progressed, we touched something philosophical. It had been common that quite a few of the diseases are linked to some bird/reptiles/rodents. A few examples are:

1. Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is associated with Rabies.
2. People say the fur of the cat would be a more common infectant for those suffering from asthmatic conditions.
3. A little recently there was a largescale epidemic amongst the birds and they called it 'Bird Flu'. Because of so much media hype and politicians pushing behind it a significant number of poultries were forced to kill hens and cocks in an attempt to 'contain' the infection, as the news and remedial measures saw for it.
4. The more recent one is 'Swine Flu' (H1N1 influenza). And the latest animal that is being associated with this disease is a domestic pig. And during early days of Swine Flu news in Chennai, Chennai Corporation was atrocious in hunting out for domestic pigs amongst the various slums and to slaughter them without mercy.

Though all these are some of the diseases affecting the physique of one living entity or other in the beautiful planet earth, I am just wondering if some one of thought of the following diseases spread by Man (Homo Sapiens):

1. Avarcious Greed
2. Unwarranted Lust towards womanhood
3. Short-temper
4. Crazy infatuation towards mundane attractions (or rather distractions).

I am actually drawing the attention towards these four points which are better described in our Sanskrit slokas as Lobham (Anger), Kamam (Lust), Krodham (Short-Temper) and Moham (Crazy Infatuation). Would there be an initiative to contain the spread of this epidemic too? In my view, I would say WHO or other alternative agency should declare the rampant and reckless spread of these as a global mental health emergency and any such associated vectors should be quarantined as deeply as possible from the face of the earth to make it continue beautiful.

When we have have so much infection from our own side, I don't think it is justified to throw allegations on our dumb friends and to slaughter them for no fault of theirs. I am actually reminded of Kaviarasu Kannadasan's lyrics (also features in a song 'Vandhenda Paalkaran' in a famous Tamil movie Annamalai:

அட மீன் செத்தா கருவாடு நீ செத்தா வெறுங்கூடு
கண்ணதாசன் சொன்னதுங்க
பசு இருந்தாலும் பாலாகும் செத்தாலும் தோலாகும்
நான் கண்டு சொன்னதுங்க

(Meaning: When the fish dies it becomes eligible as an edible sea food besides a health tonic like in Cod Liver Oil whereas when a man dies he just needs to be cremated without much of utility value, not to involve discussions like organ transplantations and research topics. We are more concerned with utility value to Planet Earth. Similarly when a cow lives it gives milk and when it dies its skin becomes a valuable asset to make leather products).

There are a few more thoughful quotes in the same song which are as follows:

1. தன் ரத்தத்தில் ஒரு பாதி பாலாகம் பிரிப்பது பசுவோட வேலையப்பா
   அது பிரிந்தாலும் பாலோடு தண்ணீரைக் கலப்பது மனிதனின் மூளையப்பா
   
   (Meaning: A cow gives milk by internally converting its blood as milk. It treats it as a service to the global welfare. And the same cow's milk is being diluted using water by avaricious human brain for selfish business purposes)
   
2. சாணம் விழுந்தா உரும்பாரு எருவை எரிச்சா திருநீறு
   உனக்கு என்ன வரலாறு உண்மை சொன்னா தகறாரு
   
   (Meaning: The cow dung is also a fertiliser for a lot of (paddy) fields in India. When the dung is dried it is also used as a holy ash in various temples. And now the poet challenges man as to what real history does he have compared to these?)
   
3. நீ மாடு போல உழைக்கலையே
   நீ மனுஷனை ஏச்சுப் பொழைக்கிறியே

(Meaning: The cow is really hard-working. The poet challenges the man as he is lazy and only knows to piggyback on another's effort as a blood-sucking leech.)

For a complete version of the song in Tamil, check out this weblog however the author has completely written it in Tamil.