Outbreak of the Marburg Virus :: History Journal Medical Essays

Report from Uige Province I have now been working in Angola as a medical relief agent for three months. It is only recently that people have started talking about a possible outbreak of the Marburg virus here in the Uige Province in Northern Angola. We fear the worst as this disease, a deadly but rare hemorrhagic fever related to the Ebola virus, has many similar symptoms to other infectious diseases such as Malaria or typhoid fever making it difficult to diagnose. After incubating for five to twenty-one days, the disease comes on swiftly with symptoms such as fever, chills, muscular tenderness and headache.1 The fifth day of infection is marked by the appearance of discolored spots and raised bumps around the chest, stomach and back area. Other symptoms at this stage include vomiting, chest pains, nausea, and diarrhea.2 These symptoms quickly become more severe resulting in jaundice, severe weight loss, inflammation of the pancreas, shock, liver failure, and multi-organ dysfunction3. Typically lasting 3-9 days, if a person does survive this period, the recovery process is prolonged, oftentimes marked with recurrent hepatitis, inflammation of the spinal cord, eyes, and parotid gland, transverse myelitis, and orchitis.4 This is worrisome, as in the region where I am currently working there is little room in the local hospital and very limited funds. If the outbreak grows it can only cause more fatalities due to our lack of resources. As of now, only sporadic cases have been reported since the last Marburg virus outbreak in Druba, in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 19985. We can only hope for limited spread of infection, as there is no cure or vaccine for this deadly virus. December 17th, 2004 As of now, there have been 34 reported cases of what might be the Marburg virus and 34 deaths thus resulting in a 100% fatality rating. Currently the outbreak here in Angola is the worst epidemic of any kind of hemorrhagic fever and is continuing to infect as the number of cases increases around 3% each day.6 Fortunately WHO, the World Health Organization, has sent operatives to investigate if, in fact, the virus that is spreading is the Marburg virus and not another hemorrhagic virus. The whole staff at the hospital is becoming nervous, as we are particularly vulnerable to infection.

Habits of the Heart Essay

most is Brian Palmer. He is a successful businessman and is a top level manager in a large company. He got divorced from his first wife because of wrong priorities. When they were still married, he dedicated his time in working for his family. He was under the misconception that the role of a father and husband is to provide his family all the things that they need and for him to be a better father, he should also provide their wants. He thought that if he will earn money, which is more than enough for them, his family will live happily. However, he realized that money and work is not everything. He did not realize the toll that his being a hard working father is affecting his children and his relationship with his wife. After his divorce with his wife, their children chose to live with him. This made him realize that he is not as bad a father that he thinks he is. He might have done something to deserve this love from his children. The divorce gave him time and space to think and reflect on the things that had happened in the past and what he had done wrong for this to happen. It was not easy for him or his kids but as soon as Brian Palmer had decided to be happy with his children, that was turning point of their lives. He had changed his priorities and he had also changed his goals. Now that he is married to his second wife, who also had children with her first husband, he has devoted his life to his marriage and to all his children. He also had reestablished his priorities and he had learned that family comes first. He also learned that love is not buying his wife and children things; it is sharing. Love is sharing in terms of his time, efforts, and even thoughts. This shift of priorities had made him happy and his family happy. Although Brian Palmer’s situation and my situation are not exactly the same, I could say that I can relate with him since we now value the same thing – our family. It is a common mistake for people to dedicate their lives in their work to the point that they sacrifice their time which is supposed to be spent for their family. They often defend themselves that they are doing this for the benefit of their family. They think that by providing everything for their loved ones, they are showing their love for them. This is the common misconception of people. I can relate more to the children of Brian Palmer because I came from a broken family. When I was still young, things were going smoothly. My father had a high position in their company and my mom was starting her own business. They were busy but they still found time to spend with me and my brother. Until, things gradually changed between my parents and us, their children. It started when my parents started to miss special occasions, like my birthday or my brother’s graduation in elementary. It also pained us to see them fight at times. At first, I did not understand why they were fighting over money or why I feel awkward when I they kiss me on the cheeks. I soon realized that I now seldom see them together, except when they’re fighting. It was hard for me and my brother to grow up without our parents when we need them. It came to the point where I hated special occasions because it was just a reminder that I was alone and that I don’t have my parents to celebrate with me or to just be with me. It came to a point where my parents have considered getting divorced. My brother got very depressed that he was needed to be brought to the hospital. It was an eye opener for my parents. They got the chance to see each other and stop and talk a while. They got the chance to reflect and ask themselves, â€Å"how did we get here? † After that incident, my parents decided that family should always come first. This brought a new light to our family. With our parents’ support, my brother slowly recovered from his depression. From that time on, our parent’s lives became happier and they now got the time to be with us. I also became happy and now I could say with pride that my parents love me and I have a happy family. The character that I can relate the least is the character of Margaret Oldham. She is a psychiatrist and is trained to listen to people’s drama in life. This in turn made her flexible to the personalities of people around her. This in turn gave her the tolerance that she needs to fit in the world where diverse personalities exist. She was raised in the stable and has a strong sense of discipline. A strong sense of discipline is something that I am not very accustomed with. During the time when I felt alone and that my parents were not in good terms, there was nobody to discipline me. I was under the impression that I could do anything and everything that I wanted as long as I am not doing anything which is against the law. Margaret was an achiever in school and in her profession. I was not very good in academics since my parents did not set any standards for me. Unlike other parents, they tell their children to achieve the best in school for them to get better jobs and that education is something that they can give their children, which cannot be taken away from them. I, on the other hand, was not very aware of this. Education was something I thought was just a stage in life that I have to go through and that it is something that I should also experience for me to be â€Å"normal† among my peers. I disagree to her belief that people should not expect that a person could make them â€Å"magically happy† because when my parents finally realized their mistake on us and decided to reconcile and have a better family life, I was â€Å"magically happy†. I was blissfully happy to see that my parents were now willing to try their best to catch up on us and know us better. However, I could say that she is right in saying that people should communicate more on what they need and feel to be able to be happy. I think, it is through communication that people can understand one another and be aware of the feelings of other people. She also stated that as an adult, one should accept his/her personal responsibility; that everybody is responsible for themselves. I agree to her in a way because we are responsible of our acts and it is up to us to make decisions for ourselves. However, we should also acknowledge the impact that we have on other people’s lives. Our actions and decisions could affect the people who care for us and are dear to us. In making decisions, we should also consider the effect that the decision could give to others. She believes that a person’s fulfillment involves deep self-knowledge, a wide tolerance of the differences among people, and the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life. I must admit that I am not well aware of these responsibilities as a person before, but after I read Margaret Oldham’s character, I must say that it had opened a whole different perspective in my life. It made me realize that there are more things to learn in life so why spend it in self pity.

The Act of Cheating - 870 Words

Let’s say you were raised knowing that punching a person is wrong. Now imagine someone punching you in the jaw. Is it alright for you to punch back? I say that it is only fair you do punch him back. People never want to be on unequal ground with anyone. If you can get an edge you take it. Such is the way of our nature and of our current society. A good example of this is performance enhancing drugs in sports. If a player or team uses it, it gives them an unfair advantage against other teams. Most players and teams respond to this by using those drugs themselves to even the playing field. It’s only fair since the opposing team would have performed drastically better than them if they had not. And by using that example, it is safe to assume that we should do what will benefit us the most in the long run. Now in the the case where you’re friend was able to obtain the answer key for the midterm exam, I would borrow it from him. When my friend offers me the chance to study from it, I wouldn’t be able to turn him down. Glaucon (428 B.C.) once said â€Å" They say that do injustice is, by nature good; to suffer injustice, evil; but that the evil is greater than the good† (p.88). This can be broken down as saying that evil is naturally more beneficial than the benefits of being good. So someone who believes that â€Å"justice doesn’t pay† would believe that being good won’t yield as many benefits as what evil would yield. Therefore they would argue for cheating because it would result in aShow MoreRelatedCheating Is Defined As An Act Of Dishonesty844 Words   |  4 PagesWhat comes to mind when hearing the word â€Å"cheat†? According to Merriam Webster, Cheating is defined as an â€Å"act of dishonesty in order to gain an advantage† (Webster, 2015). Society seems to encourage that people should do whatever it takes to win or succeed. This method has been recycled through any type of accomplishment from politics to performances. The three main areas that people are susceptible to cheat in are athletics, academics, and intimate relationships. There are several ways to cheatRead MoreAcademic Cheating Is The Act Of Being Dishonest899 Words   |  4 PagesAcademic Cheating Academic cheating is the act of being dishonest in assignment or examinations at school (McCabe, Donald, Trevino, and Butterfield 2). It shows a lack of academic integrity. In the recent times, academic cheating is becoming more rampant, and this was confirmed by the many numbers of students who have admitted that they do cheat. Academic cheating can be inform of copying from different tests or other student work, getting or giving help during exams, use of crib notes or even gettingRead MoreEssay on Academic Dishonesty: A Corruptive Social Norm1412 Words   |  6 Pagesand sizes. In fact, 75% of all students openly admit to some form of academic dishonesty throughout their educational career (Cheating Fact Sheet). With so many people who openly admit to academic dishonesty, certain categories of students tend to exhibit more cheating behaviors than others. One classification consists of students in a group. Studies have found that cheating is more prevalent in group oriented setti ngs, such as fraternities and sororities (Anderman and Murdock 17). Most dishonestRead MoreEssay about Cheating in Academics Is an Acceptable Thing to Do751 Words   |  4 Pagescheat to get good grades. Whenever, the word â€Å"cheating† is mentioned, people always assume it is a negative act to do. But what exactly is cheating? According to the article â€Å"Cheating† by D’Arcy Lyness, PhD, the definition of cheating is â€Å"when a person misleads, deceives, or acts dishonestly on purpose.† In other words, cheating in academics means students deceive the teachers. People believe under any circumstances, cheating in academic is an unacceptable act that needs to be avoided at all cost. StudentsRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1707 Words   |  7 Pagescountless acts of cheating and signs of criminal activities by his newly acquainted friends, he begins to realize that the pursuit of the American Dream isn’t as pure and honest as h e once thought. In F. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby, Nick’s countless accounts of the corruption in the elite class shed a darker light on the American Dream and reveal that the honest goal of working hard for riches isn’t as pure as it might seem. This idea, presented by the recurring events and acts of cheating andRead MoreCheating Is A Word?1496 Words   |  6 PagesCheating is a word that no one wants to have attached to their name, because it comes attached with a load of negative stigma. What exactly is the definition of cheating? According to Oxford Dictionaries, the definition of the word â€Å"cheat† is as follows: â€Å"Act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game or examination.† As one can adhere through this definition, when someone cheats they are acting in a dishonest way that deprives others of the truth. There are manyRead MoreIs Cheating Ethical1654 Words   |  7 Pagessociety, fairness, or spe cific virtues. Secondly, ethics refers to the study and development of one’s ethical standards (Williams, 2010, pp. 2-4). Cheating is defined in the dictionary as, to deceive by trickery; swindle, however the dictionary fails to tell you if it is right or wrong to cheat. People have many different beliefs when it comes to cheating; some think its fine to do while others completely disapprove (Sullivan, 1992). Consequentialism/Utilitarianism: Utilitarianism is the bestRead MoreConsequences of Cheating in College Examinations864 Words   |  3 PagesConsequences of cheating in college examinations The transition from high school to college is a tough period and often proves to be quite challenging for students. The process of adjusting and getting accustomed to the different kind of work load pressurizes students. Amidst all this pressure of studies, we come across the common phenomenon of cheating. It is an increasingly common problem which has become an even greater problem due to the increasing technology and ways in which students can endRead MoreCheating on College Examinations980 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Name Professor Course Date Cheating on College Exams Introduction Any form of cheating is a form of dishonesty. It is an act of accomplishing something in an unethical behavior. Cheating is used in any kinds of exams, especially college exams. Does it really happen? Sure it does. We argue that many college students cheat during examinations because of several reasons. They can be nervous that is why they cheat, it can also be a reason of time management wherein some college students also workRead MorePersuasive Essay About Cheating In School1567 Words   |  7 PagesAn enormous problem in schools throughout all of America is cheating. Individuals have been trying to solve these issues since they first arose long ago. Cheating in school can cause serious consequences, whether the teacher catches the cheater or not. Throughout my 12 years of school, I have seen my fair share of cheating. Seeing cheating during school is infuriating, and this issue must dissipate. The solution to this problem may be far from our reach, but people have created a few a lternatives