Science Culture

Anthrax took-off as a media-frenzy story when tabloid photographer Bob Stevens from Florida was the first confirmed person murdered by it.

Three physicians diagnosed him, miraculously actually, within 24 hours -  first Anthrax case in 30 years - but these dudes locked into it almost immediately.  Of them, Wolf and Abrams were subsequently convicted, of running, separate Oxycontin drug-pushing dispensaries - while the third, Larry Bush, aka Doctor Bug, rode his Celebrity Scientist fame all the way to Covid.   In 2020, he ended-up heading the AZ trial in the US.

To quarantine the fall-out, Bruce, personally, unfortunately, had sacrificial lamb written all over him (look away Pete Daszak).

By 2008, Bruce's goose was cooked.  He'd gone from top, respected scientist - Pentagon Award for bio-warfare defense  - to sole suspect.  

Long before that,  there were bloggers pressing for an investigation into a Fort Detrick lab-exit event, Mueller belatedly responded - began tightening the noose, but get this, on the wrong neck.

Another scientist,  Steven Hatfill.  The FBI outed him as their person of interest - had a reputation as a cowboy Bio-defense scientist - which he was - but innocent of the Anthrax attack.  Finally paid-out  5.8 million for wrongful persecution. 

But then Bruce Ivins, their expert advisor did become the FBI's chief suspect.  Quietly, this time, outside the public's eye, though full-throttle state-surveillance.  Ivins denied it.  Bruce was in deep depression, under pressure from the Feds.  Sadly took his own life in July 2008 - an overdose of Tylenol - his wife found him dead at home - lying on his bed - a note said Let me sleep.

The FBI said it was set to execute an arrest but he'd beaten em to it. Conveniently so - disappearing a messy public show trial - Ivins had maintained his innocence  - so there'd have been a contest.   Mueller ruled he was as a loner acting alone. Case closed.

Ivin's colleague remarked: They seemed to harp on he was a loner. He was not a loner. …. He had a lot of friends ..

Indeed, 20 to 30 colleagues showed up at his 1st & 2nd death anniversaries - he was something of a hero.

lvins was a weirdo though - make no mistake - had a not-so-secret fetish - known around the office - for secret initiations of Ivy-League sororities - that included stalking - breaking-and-entering. But when ya enmeshed in the fenced-off-society of the well-off science community - you'll get away with that shit - you can hide it in plain sight  - it's called: eccentricity.

He also had access to the exact same anthrax strain and a money motive.  Would it've stood up in court? - id've thought line-ball call - there was a bungle in the collection of the key evidence - the danger is where it may have spread.  So it's left open ended.  Meanwhile the real crime was: pretending Bruce Ivins dropped out of the sky

          -      it wasn't like that     -

Ivins was the inevitable result of a culture.  In this instance the science community - a close-knit society - unaccountable - monied-up - playing secret power shenanigans  with security organizations.

I don’t know much about nothin - but i know that’s a recipe for corruption.