In the late 20th century, Britain faced a terrifying epidemic that shook the nation. This wasn’t the global HIV crisis of the 80s and 90s, but a homegrown disaster: bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease. It first emerged on a British farm around Christmas 1984 and quickly spread across the country, eventually entering the human food chain with devastating consequences. By 1996, nearly 240 people had succumbed to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), the human form of BSE. This disease was fatal in all cases, leaving families to watch helplessly as their loved ones’ minds deteriorated.
BSE didn’t occur naturally; it was a result of human actions, driven by corporate greed and government negligence. The story of BSE actually begins much earlier, in 1732, with a disease called scrapie affecting sheep. This disease caused sheep to display anxious behavior and eventually die in agony. Despite its prevalence, scrapie didn’t seem to affect humans, leading to a dangerous assumption that infected meat was safe to eat. This assumption would prove disastrous when cattle began showing signs of BSE in the mid-1980s.
In the 1920s, a new disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) was discovered. This rare, degenerative brain disease affects about one in a million people. It works by causing prions, proteins on the brain’s surface, to fold abnormally, forming toxic chains that kill brain cells and create sponge-like holes. The immune system doesn’t recognize these proteins as threats, leading to a gradual decline in mental and motor functions, ultimately resulting in death.
By the mid-20th century, farmers discovered they could increase profits by feeding animal remains to other animals. This practice, while economically beneficial, set the stage for a massive food contamination crisis. In December 1984, a vet named David B encountered a cow with symptoms of BSE. By 1985, the disease was identified, and it quickly spread across southern England. Despite the growing number of cases, the government remained silent, fearing the impact on the export trade.
As BSE spread, infected cattle were unknowingly consumed by humans. By 1988, the British government banned feeding animal remains to other animals and outlawed the use of mechanically recovered meat in human foods. However, the damage was done, with over a million infected cattle already in the food chain. The government chose to downplay the crisis, assuming BSE wouldn’t affect humans.
In the 1990s, the first cases of vCJD appeared in humans, causing panic. By 1996, it was confirmed that BSE had crossed the species barrier, leading to a collapse of the British beef industry. Millions of cows were slaughtered, and the EU banned British beef imports. Despite these efforts, the human toll continued to rise, with young victims suffering immensely before their deaths.
By the early 2000s, the crisis seemed to subside, but concerns remained. In 2014, a new case of vCJD emerged in a British man with a different genotype, raising fears of a second wave. The UK government estimates that as many as one in 2,000 Britons may be silent carriers of vCJD, posing a potential future threat.
To date, 178 people in the UK and 52 in other countries have died from vCJD. While these numbers may seem small, the impact of this man-made disaster and the subsequent government cover-up is significant. The story of BSE is a cautionary tale of the consequences of negligence and greed, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance in public health.
Investigate the historical context of BSE and its connection to scrapie in sheep. Prepare a presentation that outlines the timeline of events leading to the emergence of BSE, highlighting key factors such as corporate practices and government policies. Present your findings to the class, emphasizing the lessons learned from this historical case.
Analyze the British government’s response to the BSE crisis. Identify the key decisions made and evaluate their effectiveness. Discuss in groups how different actions might have altered the course of the epidemic. Share your analysis with the class, focusing on the importance of transparency and timely intervention in public health crises.
Engage in a structured debate on the ethical implications of using animal remains in livestock feed. Consider the economic benefits versus the potential health risks. Prepare arguments for both sides and participate in a class debate, aiming to understand the complexities of agricultural practices and their impact on public health.
Participate in a workshop that explores the science behind prion diseases, including BSE and CJD. Use models and simulations to understand how prions affect the brain. Collaborate with peers to create an educational poster that explains prion mechanisms and prevention strategies, which will be displayed in the university’s science hall.
Write a reflective essay on the lessons learned from the BSE crisis. Consider the roles of government, industry, and science in preventing similar outbreaks. Reflect on how this historical event has shaped current public health policies and your personal perspective on food safety. Share your essay with your peers for feedback and discussion.
This video is made possible by the free-to-play action game Crossout. Check out the game through the link in the description below, and you can start with three extra weapons or a vehicle cabin just for registering. More on that in a bit.
In the late 20th century, a strange and terrifying plague began to carve a path through Britain. We’re not talking about HIV, which caused devastation across the globe in the 80s and 90s. Instead, we’re discussing something far more sinister: an epidemic that should never have happened—bovine spongiform encephalopathy, better known as BSE or mad cow disease. It first appeared on a British farm around Christmas 1984. In no time, it spread to herds across the country and then into the human food chain, with catastrophic results. Starting in 1996, nearly 240 people would be struck down by variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the human form of BSE. One by one, the victims’ relatives were forced to watch as the plague devoured their loved ones’ minds, eventually leaving only a tortured husk. Fatal in 100% of cases, its detection was a death sentence.
Rather than occurring naturally, this was a disease with a very human origin, made possible by a terrifying collision of corporate greed, government negligence, and sheer callousness. Today, we are investigating the story of BSE, the deadly plague created by man.
Although it’s most associated with the 1990s, the story of BSE actually begins long before that, starting on a British farm in 1732 with one unlucky sheep. Sadly, we don’t know enough about what happened to paint a vivid picture, but we can say that the farmer must have been alarmed to see his sheep displaying anxious and delirious behavior. Before long, the sheep would become unsteady on its feet, arch its back, and scrape its body along stone walls, eventually dying in agony. Other sheep soon began showing signs of the same awful disease known as scrapie. This blight affected countless sheep across Britain and then most of the rest of the world. However, in the early 18th century, people were still consuming infected sheep, and it didn’t cause many problems. To this day, there’s no evidence that scrapie can jump the species barrier. Unfortunately, this would lead to major issues 250 years later when the first cattle began showing signs of BSE in the mid-1980s. It was humanity’s experience with scrapie that led to the declaration that infected beef was safe to eat.
Before we get to that part of our story, let’s take a detour to the 1920s, the era of jazz, where everyone was dressed like they were in “The Great Gatsby.” In the shadows, a new disease was emerging: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a degenerative brain disease that is both deadly and rare, affecting only one in a million people. What made it particularly fascinating for doctors at the time was the way it worked. The surface of our brains is covered in proteins called prions. CJD causes these prions to fold in a peculiar way, forming toxic chains that spread across the brain, killing cells and leaving sponge-like holes. Because these proteins are a natural part of us, our immune system doesn’t recognize them as threats. For someone infected with CJD, this means a steady decline in mental functions and motor skills, leading to confusion, anxiety, and difficulty walking, ultimately resulting in death.
Since its discovery in the 1920s, CJD has consistently claimed around 350 American lives each year. However, it was events in the 1990s that brought CJD into the spotlight. Farmers in the mid-20th century realized they could maximize profits by rendering down unusable parts of dead animals and feeding them back to other animals. This practice, while grim, revolutionized food production but would soon lead to the biggest food contamination crisis in British history.
Shortly before Christmas 1984, a local vet named David B received a call that would change his life. He examined a cow on a farm owned by Peter Stent and found it displaying unsteady legs, an arched back, and a head wobbling from side to side. This was the first time he had seen this strange illness up close, and he was alarmed. After the cow died in February 1985, he contacted the UK Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL). In September, the CVL examined the brain of the cow and found the tell-tale sponge-like holes of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. They named this new cattle version Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).
Barely had they identified the illness when it began cropping up everywhere. Over the next two years, BSE spread across southern England, with six positive cases confirmed alongside 13 suspected ones. Discussions turned to whether scrapie had jumped the species barrier from sheep to cows, but the powers that be put a stop to that. A governmental memo from the time read that if the disease turned out to be bovine scrapie, it would have severe repercussions for the export trade. As 1987 dawned, no one said a word, and they kept silent as the number of cases jumped to 46, then 73, and then 120. By the end of October, the first reports were appearing in the farming press about a deadly new cattle blight, but by then it was too late.
Farmers were now feeding BSE-infected cows back to other cattle, and mechanically recovered meat—a euphemism for all the undesirable parts of animals—was being recycled into human products. By the time the press started reporting on BSE, humans were consuming infected meat by the millions, unaware of the impending crisis.
Now, just before we delve into what happens next, let me tell you about today’s sponsor, Crossout. Crossout is a fantastic game where you build your own vehicle and pit it against others. You can customize everything from the main structure to weapons and armor. It’s a fast-paced game with various modes, and you can jump in right away without much trouble. Plus, if you register through the link below, you get a free starter set with three extra weapons or a vehicle cabin. This is a great way to support what we’re doing here at Biographics.
By 1988, 200 new cases of BSE were being reported every week, affecting 6,000 British farms. To the British government’s credit, they did try to act; that same year, the practice of feeding animal remains to other animals was banned, and the following year, the use of mechanically recovered meat in human foods was outlawed. However, more than a million infected cattle were already in the human food chain. The government faced a choice: recall the meat and warn the public, or act like nothing had happened and hope for the best. They chose the latter, assuming BSE would act like scrapie and not infect humans.
In 1990, the Food and Agriculture Minister, John Gummer, began a media blitz to encourage people to eat beef again, declaring in bold text that beef was safe. He assured the public that there was no need for concern, despite evidence to the contrary. Meanwhile, Dr. Stephen Dealler was conducting experiments that showed BSE could infect mice, but when he tried to speak out, he was reassigned to a lowly position.
As the crisis unfolded, the first symptoms of variant CJD appeared in humans. In May 1995, 19-year-old Steve Churchill showed hallucinations and trouble walking. Initially diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, it became clear something was seriously wrong. After his death, his brain was analyzed, revealing the tell-tale signs of CJD. By June, scientists were terrified they might have a new disease on their hands.
In October, two teenagers were diagnosed with this new form of CJD, and by March 1996, eight young people had died in a matter of months. The government called a meeting with top scientists, where they announced that BSE had jumped the species barrier and was now killing humans. The next few days played out like a horror movie, as the human form of BSE was declared variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD).
Panic ensued, and the British beef industry collapsed. In an effort to control the disease, 4.4 million cows were slaughtered, and incinerators glowed on farms around the clock. The EU banned all beef imports from Britain, but it was too late. Over the following years, several people in other countries would die from vCJD, but the human cost was highest in Britain.
By 1998, there were 18 cases a year, all fatal, and most victims were under 30. The disease caused immense suffering, with patients losing their motor functions and ability to speak, often left to die alone in agony. The government set up a research body to assess the situation, discovering that vCJD infected not just the brain and spine but the entire body, even entering the blood supply.
As the new millennium dawned, the crisis seemed never-ending. In 2000, annual deaths jumped to 28, and in 2001, BSE appeared in Japanese cattle. Just as it seemed the crisis had reached a tipping point, it stopped. By 2007, cases had dropped to only five per year, but over 160 Britons had died so far.
In the mid-1950s, scientists discovered a tribe in New Guinea being affected by a disease similar to CJD. The tribe practiced cannibalism, consuming the brains of deceased members, which allowed the disease to spread. This was eerily similar to BSE in Britain. When the mad cow disease scare kicked off in the 1990s, investigations revealed that the New Guinea tribe had exhibited symptoms years after consuming infected meat.
In late 2014, a 36-year-old British man began showing signs of CJD, and upon his death in February 2016, it was confirmed he had been infected with the human form of BSE. However, he did not have the genotype typically associated with previous victims. This raised concerns that the dormant disease was activating in a new group of people.
Since 2016, there have been no confirmed deaths of this new genotype due to vCJD, but the potential for a second wave remains. The UK government reported that as many as one in 2,000 Britons may be silent carriers of vCJD. When this second wave hits, it could lead to further fatalities.
To date, 178 people in the UK have died from human variant BSE, with another 52 deaths in other countries. While these numbers may seem small in the context of global health crises, vCJD is a man-made disaster and a government cover-up. The story of this horrific plague isn’t over, and there may be more deaths and suffering to come.
Thank you for watching. If you found this video interesting, please hit the like button below, subscribe, and check out our sponsor, Crossout, through the link below.
BSE – Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative disease affecting cattle, caused by prions. – The outbreak of BSE in the 1990s led to significant changes in livestock management practices.
Disease – A disorder or malfunction in an organism that produces specific symptoms or affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury. – Researchers are working tirelessly to understand the mechanisms of the disease to develop effective treatments.
Prions – Infectious agents composed of protein in a misfolded form, which are responsible for several neurodegenerative diseases. – Prions are notoriously difficult to destroy and can lead to diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
Cattle – Domesticated bovine animals kept for milk or meat production. – The health of cattle is crucial for the agricultural economy and food supply chain.
Health – The state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. – Public health initiatives aim to improve the overall health of communities through education and preventive measures.
Epidemic – A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time. – The rapid spread of the flu virus led to an epidemic that overwhelmed local healthcare facilities.
Humans – Homo sapiens, the species of bipedal primates to which modern humans belong, characterized by their ability to use complex language and tools. – The transmission of certain zoonotic diseases from animals to humans poses significant public health challenges.
Contamination – The presence of an unwanted substance or impurity in a material or environment, often leading to adverse effects on health. – Contamination of water supplies with harmful bacteria can lead to serious outbreaks of disease.
Symptoms – Physical or mental features that are regarded as indicating a condition of disease, particularly such features that are apparent to the patient. – Early symptoms of the disease include fever and fatigue, which can progress to more severe complications if untreated.
Crisis – A time of intense difficulty or danger, often related to a sudden change in a disease pattern or health condition. – The healthcare system faced a crisis when the number of patients exceeded the available resources during the epidemic.
