Term Hannibal Lecter used to refer to Plum Island Disease Research Center, when Clarisse Starling made her phony offer to get him out of the asylum.

"Anthrax Island. A nice touch, Clarisse. Yours?"

Did you know that an area of the United Kingdom has been contaminated with anthrax?

Before all of you Brit noders dash out to buy chemical warfare suits it might also be worth mentioning that it's been this way for many years, in fact it was deliberately contaminated by the British government during WWII.

"Anthrax Island", or Gruinard Island, to give it it's proper name, is one of the many small rocks off the coast of western Scotland. It earned it's unofficial title in 1942 after the British government exploded a bomb packed with anthrax spores there to see how it would affect the local sheep.

The locals were unphased by this since patriotism at the time was incredibly high, and to be seen to do one's part was an essential of the time. Also they were unaware of what exactly was going on at the time! They just thought the island had been declared off-limits because it was being used for military exercises and were completely unaware that the island was being used as a testing ground for biological warfare.

Winston Churchill seems to have been very keen on the idea of using anthrax against the Nazis, and is quoted as saying "Why should the devil have all the best weapons?"

How times have changed...

For more on this subject check out: "Living With Anthrax Island"http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1643000/1643031.stm

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.