|
Columnists
Pathogens & People:Internet helps spread delusion that Morgellons a diseasePublished 07/01/07
I thought the following might be an interesting experiment: Invent a disease and a set of vague symptoms. Build a Web site and start a tax-exempt charity for the disease. Send out press releases about the newly discovered disease and its disturbing symptoms and provide a link to the Web site. Then sit back and see how many people come to the site or call the foundation claiming to have the disease.
Such an experiment probably would reveal quite a bit about the powers of suggestion, hypochondria and the expanding reach of the Internet.
Unfortunately, someone has done my experiment. A South Carolina housewife came up with a...
|
| #1 - Anti-illegal-immigration group draws controversy (43 comments) |
| #2 - Severna Park forfeits county title (39 comments) |
| #3 - Man: Police forced him to delete photos (14 comments) |
| #4 - Suspect in assault top military wrestler (12 comments) |
| #5 - Couple departs Annapolis, continues on sailing adventure (9 comments) |
Annapolis 
Edgewater |
• Archives
• Business
• Columnists
• Environment
• Government
• Local
• Naval Academy
• Obituaries
• Opinion
• Police
• Public Record
• Region
• Story index
• Weather
• Get news alerts
• Send news tip
• Traffic cameras
• Business
• Columnists
• Environment
• Government
• Local
• Naval Academy
• Obituaries
• Opinion
• Police
• Public Record
• Region
• Story index
• Weather
• Get news alerts
• Send news tip
• Traffic cameras
• Local
• Annapolis
• Broadneck
• Crofton
• Crownsville
• Edgewater
• Kent Island
• Millersville
• Odenton
• Pasadena
• Severna Park
• Severn
• South County
• West County
• Calendar
• Schools
• Glen Burnie
• Bowie
• Annapolis
• Broadneck
• Crofton
• Crownsville
• Edgewater
• Kent Island
• Millersville
• Odenton
• Pasadena
• Severna Park
• Severn
• South County
• West County
• Calendar
• Schools
• Glen Burnie
• Bowie
• Entertainment
• Calendar
• Child's Play
• Movie Showtimes
• Dining Review
• Tour Annapolis
• Live Music
• Contests
• Calendar
• Child's Play
• Movie Showtimes
• Dining Review
• Tour Annapolis
• Live Music
• Contests
VOICES
• Advertise
• Archive
• Blogs
• Calendar
• Comments
• Contact us
• Cookbook
• Slideshows
• Video
• AP Video
SUBMIT INFO:
• Anniversary
• Band info
• Birth
• Calendar event
• Engagement
• Letter
• Obituary
• Wedding
• Archive
• Blogs
• Calendar
• Comments
• Contact us
• Cookbook
• Slideshows
• Video
• AP Video
SUBMIT INFO:
• Anniversary
• Band info
• Birth
• Calendar event
• Engagement
• Letter
• Obituary
• Wedding
• Advertise
• Advertise Classified
• Advertise Online
• Advertise Print
• Contact Us
• Contact Capital
• Contact Online
• Capital history
• Carrier supplies
• Deal of the Day!
• Forms
• Internships
• Legal ads
• Send news tip
• Stop delivery
• Subscribe
CONTACT:
• Bowie
• Crofton
• Maryland Gazette
• West County
• Advertise Classified
• Advertise Online
• Advertise Print
• Contact Us
• Contact Capital
• Contact Online
• Capital history
• Carrier supplies
• Deal of the Day!
• Forms
• Internships
• Legal ads
• Send news tip
• Stop delivery
• Subscribe
CONTACT:
• Bowie
• Crofton
• Maryland Gazette
• West County
MARKET PLACE
• Cars
• Classifieds
• Coupons
• Find a newspaper
• Hotels/Lodging
• Homes
• Jobs
• Local Directory
• News Archives
• Photo reprints
• Restaurants
• Subscribe
• Classifieds
• Coupons
• Find a newspaper
• Hotels/Lodging
• Homes
• Jobs
• Local Directory
• News Archives
• Photo reprints
• Restaurants
• Subscribe
Copyright ©
| Capital Gazette Communications, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland | Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
If you encounter other problems, please email ewiffin@capitalgazette.com and include your name, username, and any errors or messages that are displayed. The more information you can provide, the better able we will be to assist you.
In order to post or vote on a comment, you must be signed in with a hometownannapolis account.
Take a look at a summary of Commenting Guidelines.
If you encounter other problems, please email ewiffin@capitalgazette.com and include your name, username, and any errors or messages that are displayed. The more information you can provide, the better able we will be to assist you.