To see this video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0QTvb-oFUw
If you’ve ever had the misfortune of spending any time with serious anti-vaxxers, you know that some of their ideas are pretty out there regarding the reasons not to vaccinate, as well as the reasons for believing that common childhood vaccines cause many harms.
There’s also a complete disregard for the vital importance of
herd immunity when it comes to protecting the health and well-being of those
few individuals who, for legitimate medical reasons, cannot be vaccinated.
Despite the fact that none of this is supported by actual science, most people
with this mindset plow on and continue to insist that vaccines cause more harm
than they do good. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg.
My clever, science-minded colleague Justin Acuff managed to infiltrate a
strictly-controlled Facebook group full of
anti-vaxxers, aptly named “Turpentine.” The group of like-minded
anti-vaxxers have taken their distrust of scientifically-backed medicine
to a whole other — and dangerously insane — level.
They seriously believe that kerosene has many health benefits,
and even havelinked to a document detailing
these “benefits.” Another link insists that deadly bacteria is
killed by turpentine and kerosene, while healthy bacteria is left
alone.
Further, they sincerely believe that turpentine is pretty much a
cure-all for any number of ailments. Here is a video from a group called the
Health Revolution that promotes the idea that ingesting this industrial-level
solvent is a good thing:
Their reasoning for these bizarre beliefs in using turpentine as a health agent actually comes from the very place they distrust now — a pharmaceutical company.
Now, I have detailed my own refusal to blindly
trust Big Pharma and the medical industry at large — as well as my
understanding of the anti-vaxx stance — but this really takes it way too
far.
In fact, ironically, this group uses a Merck manual from 1899 to justify their views on turpentine —
which makes one wonder why they would trust this but not other claims from
within the same industry.
In the manual, Merck refers to turpentine as a valid
medication 104 times. So, I guess this “health” advice from more than a century
ago justifies taking it as one today.
They really should read the information here,
which explains all the reasons why you should NOT drink turpentine (as if
sane people didn’t already know that). As if all of this isn’t enough, these
people also believe cancer is nothing more than
a grand conspiracy.
Here are screenshots from members of the group who admit to
regularly ingesting turpentine as a part of their “health” regimen, along with
supposed “injuries” they have sustained due to the use of vaccines. You will
notice that they even keep going after experiencing negative and potentially
serious health problems:
Even more disturbingly, some of these people are actually seeking information on giving turpentine to pets:
There are many, many more, but I think that’s
enough for now. If these people want to literally endanger their own lives by
ingesting turpentine, kerosene, and any other product that is better used in
home improvement, so be it. However, hopefully, their pets and children are
being kept well clear of this dangerous foolishness. Somehow, I doubt it,
though.