It's one of the more bizarre cures, to say the least: Scientists discover the illegal drug meth could fight the flu
Bernie Doug Meet is feeling among friends with Kelly Hali Chelette and 3 others at Jerry Lee Lewis museum.
MYRA GAIL BROWN LEWIS WILLIAMS IS THE
World's most Enigmatic Rock 'n' Roll Lolita, who after almost inadvertently taking down the whole business of rock 'n' roll, stayed married to the man whose fault, if any to assign, and everything she and the Killer went through, and Phoebe too -- she is that what am the coolest bad girl woman you have ever met, with the realest bad reputation Joan Jett can only sing, or that any good christian woman would secretly love to have, or at least, love to put on and off like a coat, but which Myra Lewis Williams will just leave on "thank you," because, "well, it's a little chilly in here," and oh, one more thing: she can't take it off anyway, so she slightly demurs.
But you can't pay for street cred anyway -- and to Kelly Hali Chelette, whose cool is real with a little pancake makeup, but who'll surely survive as she never need imitate that rockabilly girl she realizes she already is.
From one rocker, preceded by another, then flanked by a sister or two, the one with THE head she inherited, unbidden but never returned, because nobody'd take it back -- it's way too hot, and it burns.
And LASTLY. Dearly beloved: let FRANKIE JEAN LEWIS (THE CHILLER) TERRELL AND HER INCREDIBLE HUSBAND MARION TERRELL, WHO FOLLOWED HIS WIFE ONE WEEK LATER -- Rest In Peace -- INTERRED in Clayton -- Catch HER Soul WHEREVER YOU THINK YOUR GOD APPRECIATES HUMOR.
She finally lay down her burden and gave up the Ghost (TO BE ONE?) -- no more martyrdom to pretend, no more homefire burnin' to tend; OVER THOSE late nights sellin' Bubblegum Daiquiris with real Bubblegum to chew and pop, which more AND MORE, TOWARD the end WAS THE SOUND more likely comING from A 9 MILLIMETER THAN THE PERFECTLY SERVICEABLE AND DEADLY Snubnosed .38, which would PRECEED HER first out the door, closely followed by Marion behind , until someone behind the register would see her comin' and snap back, where she'd take that pistol and yell like she was on fire (excuse me for repeating, especially to Myra, whom only once did have to scold me, and which I finally realized that instead of thinking it hypocritical, it was Jerry Lee who ruined cursing for me ONLY IN THE FACT THAT I REALIZED that it didn't so much hurt her delicate sensibility, it was just she heard more of it by 16 than we still have yet to hear ... Well, Frankie Jean says, "Get back out from behind that counter, motherfucker. I'm a Lewis.
And DON'T FUCK WITH THE LEWISES!"
Then with an enviable shrug of her shoulders it was somehow gone, and having diffused the situation, gun back in resting hand, she'd step back from that skinny Drive-Thru Liquor Store Family Museum THE Ferriday LA Birthplace and Home of the Killer, her brother, loving mother and father, and sister too -- mostly made from her to brother.
She'd click her tongue with timing only a comedian or a Lewis can make, or is imbued, and forever help them if they try to get it unglued; she'd turn around and with timing synced perfectly, she'd just look at you slightly and say, with the strangest inflection,
'I'm sorry..."
and then,
"Well, not sorry, you know ... Sorry for you, that you had to see me do that. But I guess you know that it's a violent world..."
And then trail off again, and again finish with the perfect 'Let's Forget About It' rejoinder,
"Well, Killer! How's it feel to pop your cherry. You know something, I don't drink ... But how'd you like to try a little bit of Moonshine one of Jerry's fans brought by? It'll make you real warm?"
And then, when you thought it was over, there was always the last line left coming back for more,
"Well, Killer! At least, I HOPE he was a fan ..."
And she'd laugh
still not looking a minute over seventeen, and smile and clear her
throat in her only little noticeable tic which was sweeter than you'd
think and kinda endearing, and then say,
"Well, I just hope I die before
my brother. If I don't I'll just have to close up the house and the
store because I just don't think I could live without him,"
and then
sadly smile and walk back over by the record machine where she was once
and still was that last year I saw her, way too cute to be a minute over
seventeen -- and then the guy writing this not as most rockin' or full
of soul as those other females but I sure can pick my company.
And it's
y'all and another and Jerry Lee, and before Frankie Jean passed, she
finally took me to Black River, her and me alone, pointing out the
dire state where they started out unnecessarily,
And warily, I
started singin' THE SONG SHE WROTE FOR HER BROTHER AND WHICH WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SONGS HE EVER CUT ON SUN RECORDS: 'The End of the Road'.
And after she joined in, we picked
up again and both sang ANOTHER OLD SUN HIT,
"...it'll be me, and I'll be lookin' for you."
that just came out and I'm goin' with it
Meth-exposed cells had far fewer influenza viruses left alive, compared to those not exposed
Doctors not recommending taking drug in current form but hope it will provide cures for future treatment
Published: |
Updated:
As unlikely cures go, it’s certainly up there with the strangest.
Scientists in Taiwan have discovered that methamphetamine – one of the most widely used addictive drugs - may also have flu-fighting properties.
The negative effects of the drug, thought to be used by around 30 million people worldwide, are well-known.
Not only has it been shown to cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes, it can also result in cardiac arrest and death.
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Methamphetamine - one of the most widely used addictive drugs (pictured here in crystal form) - may also have flu-fighting properties
Yet researchers from the National Health Research Institutes and Linkou and Chang Gung University have found it may have a rare positive quality, too.
Obviously, the researchers did not recommend taking the drug in its currently available form.
But it is hoped the findings will help harness exactly what property meth has in order to help people fight the flu virus.
Meth-exposed cells had far fewer influenza viruses (pictured) left alive, compared to those not exposed
Previous research has suggested that chronic methamphetamine abuse makes individuals more susceptible to pathogens such as HIV. The team wanted to investigate how the drug might reduce users' resistance to flu viruses.
The researchers obtained human lung epithelial cells, which line the surface of the lungs. These were then exposed to methamphetamine in varying quantities before being exposed to influenza A. This is the type that often cause epidemics and pandemics of respiratory illnesses.
After 30 to 48 hours, the researchers had found that the meth-exposed cells had far fewer influenza viruses left alive, compared to the control group of regular human lung epithelial cells.
And the more meth used, the less the virus reproduced.
'We report the first evidence that meth significantly reduces, rather than increases, virus propagation and the susceptibility to influenza infection in the human lung epithelial cell line,' lead researcher Yun-Hsiang Chen wrote.
The study was published in the journal PLoS One
Covid 19 coronavirus: Methamphetamine harder to get and more expensive due to Covid-19
Methamphetamine is becoming harder to get, more expensive and is poorer quality due to travel restrictions caused by Covid-19.
The change has prompted the NZ Drug Foundation to warn users that the substance they are currently getting their hands on may be a different strength or have different ingredients substituted so could be dangerous and result in hospitalisation.
The National Drug Intelligence Bureau said the international border closures had disrupted international methamphetamine supply chains and made it harder for the drug to get into New Zealand from its main sources Southeast Asia and North America.
The domestic travel restrictions placed on New Zealand during alert level 3 and 4 had also made it difficult for both the product and precursors to travel around the country.
The Herald has been told by a source that methamphetamine has been difficult to access for the past few weeks.
"It's impossible to obtain anywhere ... and if it does pop up, you're having to pay high prices for your fix. It's ridiculous."
People were also being sold salts, MSM and other substances that looked like methamphetamine.
Drug bureau manager Detective Inspector Blair Macdonald said the majority of the drugs arrived in New Zealand via Auckland. These drugs were then typically transported across the country and into the South Island on either regional flights or in vehicles using the Cook Strait ferries.
Macdonald said there was anecdotal evidence the price and availability of meth varied according to the region. In harder-to-reach areas such the South Island the price was higher.
However, he believed the disruption to supplies would be short-term because organised crime groups had resilient drug supply streams and exploited a range of importation methods to ensure a steady supply of illicit substances.
Ben Virks Ang, deputy executive director in charge of programmes at the Drug Foundation, said feedback from treatment services was that some of the people they were supporting were finding it more challenging to get the same quality substance or that the price had increased.
"I think there's still a lot out there that they could say is meth if they were wanting it, but harder to trust that it actually is methamphetamine."
Virks Ang was concerned that because a large number of people had stopped using the substance during lockdown - their tolerance may have dropped so they may not be able to handle the same amount of the substance or could be taking a different type of substance so were at a high risk of overdosing.
People who were dependent on a substance were also less able to suddenly reduce or stop their use so were more likely to try different substances or accept a substance even thought they knew it might not be the real product.
"And all of that puts people at higher risk of needing medical help because they've taken too much and overdosing."
Massey University's Shore & Whāriki Research Centre is still in the process of analysing the data collected during the lockdown period, but research from last year showed the median price for a gram of methamphetamine had dropped from $538 in 2017/2018 to $500 in 2018/2019.
Auckland, Waikato and Wellington are the cheapest places to buy it.
At the time, associate professor Chris Wilkins said the lower prices reflected the regions' proximity to international smuggling routes, for example airports, seaports and isolated coastlines, and the concentration of domestic meth manufacture in those regions.
Data provided by Customs showed that so far this year the amount of illicit drugs, including meth, seized at the borders is less compared with the same time over previous years, but this was expected to rebound once trade increased later this year.
A Customs spokesperson said it had continued its efforts to risk assess all passengers, cargo, mail and craft during the Covid crisis
