Izikhali Ezingabonakali—Lukhulu Kangakanani Usongo?
IMIZAMO yokubulala ngezifo uma kuliwa ayimisha. Ngekhulu le-14, empumalanga Yurophu, izidumbu zabantu ababebulawe yisifo i-black death zazilahlwe ezindongeni zedolobha elalihlaselwa. Esigamekweni esenzeka ngemva kweminyaka engu-400, izikhulu zaseBrithani zawanikeza ngamabomu amaNdiya aseMelika izingubo zokulala ezazinegciwane lengxibongo ngesikhathi sezingxoxo zokudala ukuthula eMpini YamaFulentshi NamaNdiya. Lokhu kwabangela ubhubhane lwesifo esenza amaNdiya acela umaluju. Kodwa kwaze kwatholakala ekupheleni kwekhulu le-19 ukuthi amagciwane abanga izifo ezithathelwanayo. Lolu lwazi lwavula amathuba amasha nasabisayo okusebenzisa izifo njengezikhali.
Yiqiniso, ngenxa yentuthuko yezokwelapha neyesayensi kuye kwasungulwa imithi yokwelapha neyokugoma. Iphumelelile impela ukwelapha nokuvimbela izifo. Kodwa naphezu kwale ntuthuko, izifo ezithathelwanayo zisalokhu ziyinkinga enkulu, njalo ngonyaka zibulala abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-17—abangaba ngu-50 000 ngosuku. Kuyindida ehlasimulisa umzimba: Njengoba kunamadoda nabesifazane abakhaliphile abaye bazinikela ekuqedeni izifo kubantu, kunabanye abazimisele nabanamandla ngendlela efanayo abaphokophele ukuqeda abantu ngezifo.
Imizamo Yokuvimbela Izikhali Ezingamagciwane
Sekuyiminyaka engaphezu kwengu-25 i-United States, izwe elaliyiSoviet Union namanye amazwe amaningana efuna ngenkani ukwenza izikhali ezingamagciwane. Kodwa ngo-1972 la mazwe avumelana ngokuba zivinjelwe lezi zikhali. Noma kunjalo, amazwe athile aqhubeka ezenza futhi ecwaninga ngazo isinyenyela, enqwabelanisa amagciwane abulalayo amaningi kanye nezindlela zokuwasakaza.
Yini eyabangela ukuba izikhali ezinjalo zivinjelwe ngokusemthethweni? Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1970 kwakucatshangwa ukuthi nakuba izikhali ezingamagciwane zishaya ziqothule, ziyizikhali zokulwa ezisezingeni eliphansi. Isizathu sokuqala ukuthi azisheshi zisebenze—ziyephuza ukubonakala izimpawu zesifo. Esinye isizathu ukuthi ukuphumelela kwazo kuncike ekushintshashintsheni komoya nesimo sezulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amazwe abona ukuthi uma izwe elithile lihlasela elinye ngezikhali ezingamagciwane, izwe elihlaselwayo cishe nalo lingaphindisela ngezalo izikhali ezingamagciwane noma ngezikhali zenuzi. Esokugcina, abantu abaningi baba nomuzwa wokuthi kuyichilo ukusebenzisa ngamabomu izinto eziphilayo ngenjongo yokulimaza noma yokubulala abanye abantu.
Kulezi zizathu asikho esingavimba abantu abagcwele inzondo nabangenandaba nezimiso zokulunga. Kulabo abazimisele ukubulala ngokungakhethi, izikhali ezingamagciwane zinesasasa elikhulu. Izikhali ezingamagciwane zingakhiwa futhi zisetshenziswe kungazi muntu. Angase angaziwa umuntu ozisakazayo, futhi uma aziwa, akulula ukuphindisela esigungwini sabashokobezi esinamalungu emazweni amaningi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuhlasela ngezikhali ezingamagciwane ezingabonakali, ezithatha kude nezibulalayo kungadala isiphithiphithi emphakathini ngenxa yokwesaba nje kukodwa. Ukusakaza amagciwane ezitshalweni noma emfuyweni kungabangela indlala nokuwa komnotho.
Esinye isizathu sokusetshenziswa kwezikhali ezingamagciwane ukuthi zishibhile. Kokunye ukuhlola kwaqhathaniswa izindleko zokubulala ngezikhali ezihlukahlukene izakhamuzi ezingazivikele endaweni eyikhilomitha-skwele. Izindleko zokubulala ngezikhali ezivamile zalinganiselwa ku-R20 000, ezokubulala ngezikhali zenuzi zalinganiselwa ku-R8 000, ezokubulala ngegesi ekhubaza izinzwa, R6 000 kanti ezokubulala ngamagciwane, R10.
Izinkinga Zobuchwepheshe Zabashokobezi
Imibiko yabezindaba ithi amaqembu athile abashokobezi azamile ukusebenzisa izikhali ezingamagciwane. Nokho, kunomehluko omkhulu phakathi kokuzama ukusebenzisa izikhali ezingamagciwane nokuhlasela ngazo ngempumelelo.
Ukuze umshokobezi noma inhlangano yabashokobezi iphumelele, kumelwe inqobe izinselele ezinzima zobuchwepheshe. Okokuqala, umshokobezi kumelwe athole uhlobo olubulala ngempela lwegciwane lesifo esithile. Okwesibili, kumelwe azi ukuthi iyiphi indlela efanele nephephile yokusebenza ngalo neyokuligcina. Okwesithathu, kumelwe azi indlela yokulikhiqiza ngobuningi. Igciwane elincane elibonakala ngesibonakhulu lingakwazi ukushaya liqothule izitshalo emasimini, umhlambi wezilwane, noma bonke abantu edolobheni, uma lelo gciwane lisakazwa ngokuqondile kulokho okuhlaselwayo. Kodwa amagciwane awaphili kahle uma engasekho ezindlini okwakhiwa kuzo izikhali ezingamagciwane. Empeleni mancane amagciwane ayofika ephila emphakathini osuke uhlosiwe, ngakho kungadingeka amaningi impela ukuze afike aqothule.
Kunezinye futhi izinkinga. Umshokobezi kumelwe azi ukuthi uzoligcina kanjani liphila futhi linamandla lelo gciwane ngesikhathi elisusa lapho ligcinwa khona eliyisa lapho lizodedelwa khona. Ekugcineni, kudingeka azi ukuthi uzolisakaza kanjani lelo gciwane ngendlela ezosebenza. Lokhu kuhilela ukuba aqikelele ukuthi leli gciwane lifika lapho lizodedelwa khona lilikhulu ngokwanele, lidedelwa endaweni enkulu ngokwanele, nokuthi liningi ngokwanele ukuba likwazi ukungena kubantu abaningi. Kwalithatha iminyaka engaphezu kweyishumi iqembu lase-United States labacwaningi bezikhali ezingamagciwane abagogodile ukuba liqhamuke nendlela ekahle yokuthutha lezi zikhali. Uma nje igciwane selidedelwe emoyeni, lithola ilanga namazinga okushisa nawokubanda ahlukahlukene, okungalibulala. Ngakho-ke, ukwenza amagciwane abe izikhali kudinga ulwazi olunzulu ngokuthi kwenzekani kuwo uma ethola umoya.
Uma sicabanga ngezinkinga eziningi kangaka zobuchwepheshe ezihilelekile, akumangalisi ukuthi zimbalwa izikhawu abashokobezi abaye bazama ukuhlasela ngazo ngezikhali ezingamagciwane. Kanti-ke futhi bambalwa abantu abafa noma balimala kuloko kuhlasela. Muva nje, izincwadi ezazine-anthrax zabulala abantu abahlanu e-United States. Kuyadabukisa kakhulu lokho, kodwa kwakuzofa abaningi nakakhulu ukube kwakuyibhomu elincane noma isibhamu. Izibalo zabacwaningi zibonisa ukuthi kusukela ngo-1975, ezikhathini ezingamaphesenti angu-96 okwahlaselwa ngazo ngezikhali ezingamakhemikhali noma ezingamagciwane emhlabeni jikelele, abadluli kwabathathu abantu abafa noma abalimala.
Iqaphela ubunzima bokuphumelela ukuhlasela ngezikhali ezingamagciwane, i-British American Security Information Council yathi: “Nakuba ohulumeni bebhekene nosongo olukhulu lobushokobezi bezikhali ezingamakhemikhali nezingamagciwane, abahlaziyi abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi mancane amathuba okuba kuhlaselwe kufe noma kulimale uquqaba, kodwa kona kungenzeka.” Nakuba emancane amathuba alokho, imiphumela yaloko kuhlasela ingahlasimulisa umzimba.
Izindaba Ezimbi
Kuze kube manje sixoxe ngamaphuzu abonisa ukuthi ikusasa liphephile: Izinkinga zobuchwepheshe nosekwenzekile kubonisa ukuthi mancane amathuba okuba izikhali ezingamagciwane ziqothe imbokodo nesisekelo. Ngamafuphi nje, nazi izindaba ezimbi: Osekwenzekile akunakusikhanyisela ukuthi kuzokwenzekani esikhathini esizayo. Nakuba kungaphumelelanga kangako ukuhlasela kwangaphambili, okwesikhathi esizayo kona kungase kuphumelele.
Zikhona izinto ezikhathazayo. Bayanda abashokobezi abazimisele ukubulala abantu ngobuningi. Akukona nje kuphela ukuthi abashokobezi baya bechwephesha nakakhulu kodwa amanye amaqembu abo anemali nemishini ethi ayifane neyabanye ohulumeni.
Ochwepheshe abakhathazwa ukuthi amazwe anganika abashokobezi izikhali ezingamagciwane. Omunye umhlaziyi wathi: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ohulumeni banonya kangakanani, bafuna kangakanani ukufeza okuthile, nokuthi imibono yabo yeqisa kangakanani, bayoba mathintanyawo ukunikeza abashokobezi izikhali ezingavamile abangeke babe nazwi kuzo; bangase bazisebenzise bona lezo zikhali ngenjongo yokugadla kuqala, kodwa okungenzeka nakakhulu ukuthi bazisebenzise njengemvalamlomo kunokuba balwe ngazo.” Okuyikona okukhathaza ochwepheshe ukuthi ongqondongqondo bososayensi bangase bahehwe ngetshe lemali ukuba basebenzele abashokobezi.
Amagciwane Ashintshelwe Ukubangela Izifo
Enye into ekhathazayo intuthuko kuyisayensi yokushintshwa kwezakhi zofuzo. Ososayensi sebeyakwazi ukushintsha amagciwane bawenze abulale ngendlela exakile kodwa kube lula ukusebenza ngawo. Bangashintsha izakhi zamagciwane angenangozi bawenze abulale. Amagciwane angenziwa futhi angatholakali lapho eseshwa ngezindlela ezivamile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, angenziwa ukuba amelane nemithi elwa nawo, ewagomelayo nezinye izindlela zokwelapha ezivamile. Ngokwesibonelo, ososayensi abambuka ezweni elaliyiSoviet Union bathi babakhe uhlobo lwamagciwane abangela isifo esiwumshayabhuqe olwalukwazi ukumelana nemithi yamagciwane engu-16.
Kulindeleke ukuba intuthuko yesikhathi esizayo yesayensi yokushintshwa kwezakhi zofuzo yandise amathuba. Ososayensi bakwazi ukushintsha ukuma kwezakhi zamagciwane bakhe izikhali ezintsha eziningi—ezibulala nakakhulu, ezilukhuni nakakhulu nokulula nakakhulu ukuzikhiqiza nokuzithutha. Bangazakha ngendlela yokuthi kube lula nakakhulu ukuzilawula. Amagciwane angakhiwa ngendlela yokuthi afe ngemva kokuziphindaphinda izikhathi ezinqunyiwe—angabulala bese eyafa nawo.
Esikhathini esizayo kungase kwakhiwe nezikhali ezisebenza isinyenyela nakakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, izikhali ezihloselwe ukulimaza izitho ezithile emzimbeni zingabulala isimiso sawo sokuzivikela—kunokuba umuntu angenwe isifo esithile angase angenwe izifo eziningi. Uma kungavela igciwane elinjalo elibulala njengengculaza, ubani ozokwazi ukuthi lizivelele nje noma lenziwe yisitha ngokushintsha izakhi zofuzo ezindaweni zokwakha amagciwane?
Intuthuko kwezobuchwepheshe isishintshe nokucabanga kwabezempi. Umkhuzi wamabutho asolwandle wase-United States wabhala: “Abasunguli bezikhali abakabiphi nokusebenzisa isayensi yokushintshwa kwezakhi zofuzo. Kuvula ingqondo ukubona ukuthi kusekukhulu okuzayo.”
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 26]
Kusho Ukuthini Ukulwa Ngamagciwane?
Inkulumo ethi “ukulwa ngamagciwane” isho ukusakaza ngamabomu izifo kubantu, ezilwaneni, noma ezitshalweni. Izifo ziba khona ngesikhathi lokho okuhlaselwayo kungenwa amagciwane aphilayo. La magciwane ayanda (amanye aveza ushevu), bese ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ziyabonakala izimpawu zesifo. Ezinye izikhali ezingamagciwane ziyagoga, ezinye ziyabulala. Kanti ezinye zingafakwa ezitshalweni bese ziyafa izitshalo.
[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 28, 29]
Ukwaziswa Okuphathelene Nezikhali Ezingamagciwane
I-anthrax: Isifo esithathelwanayo esibangelwa igciwane elikwazi ukwakha into ephilayo enengqamuzana elilodwa. Izimpawu zokuqala ezibonisa ukuthi uhogele i-anthrax zingase zifane nomkhuhlane. Ngemva kwezinsukwana umuntu ube esephefumula kanzima impela futhi abe nesinxi. Lolu hlobo lwe-anthrax luvame ukubulala.
Abantu abahogele i-anthrax bangelashwa ngemithi elwa namagciwane. Kubalulekile ukuba basheshe belashwe; uma bephuza ayoba mancane amathuba okuba basinde.
Mancane kakhulu amathuba okuba umuntu ayithelele omunye i-anthrax futhi kungase kungenzeki nhlobo.
Engxenyeni yesibili yekhulu lama-20, amazwe amaningi, ahlanganisa i-United States nezwe elaliyiSoviet Union, akha i-anthrax yaba isikhali. Inani lamazwe okucatshangwa ukuthi anezinhlelo zokwakha izikhali ezingamagciwane selandile lisuka kwayishumi ngo-1989 laya kwangu-17 ngo-1995. Akwaziwa ukuthi kula mazwe mangaki asebenzisa i-anthrax. Ekuhloleni okwenziwa uhulumeni wase-United States kwatholakala ukuthi uma kungafuthwa i-anthrax engamakhilogremu ayikhulu edolobheni elikhulu ingabulala njengebhomu le-hydrogen.
I-botulism: Lesi isifo esikhubaza imisipha esibangelwa igciwane elikhipha ubuthi. Izimpawu ze-botulism etholakale ekudleni zihlanganisa ukubona njengengxemu noma ukufiphala kwamehlo, amajwabu alengayo amehlo, ukukhuluma unambuluke, ukugwinya kabuhlungu, nomlomo owomile. Imisipha iyathamba yonke kusukela emahlombe kwehle. Ukukhubazeka kwemisipha yomgudu wokuphefumula kungaholela ekufeni. I-botulism ayithelelani.
Umuthi obulala ushevu, uma usheshe waphuzwa, wenza zithi damu lezi zimpawu, unciphise namathuba okufa.
Ushevu i-botulinum uyisikhali esiyintandokazi, hhayi nje ngoba ungenye yezinto ezibulala kakhulu ezaziwayo kodwa futhi ngoba kulula ukuwenza nokuwuthutha. Kanti nalabo obangenile kuye kudingeke banakekelwe isikhathi eside. Maningana amazwe asoleka sengathi akha ushevu i-botulinum njengesikhali.
I-black death: Isifo esithelelana kabi kabi esibangelwa igciwane. Izimpawu zokuqala zalesi sifo esibulalayo ziyimfiva, ikhanda elibuhlungu, ukuphelelwa amandla nokukhwehlela. Umzimba ube usuyetha, futhi uma umuntu engasheshe anikwe izibulala magciwane, nakanjani angafa.
Lesi sifo sidluliselwa kwabanye ngamathe.
Phakathi nekhulu le-14, lesi sifo sabulala abantu abangaba yizigidi ezingu-13 eChina nabangaba yizigidi ezingu-20 kuya kwezingu-30 eYurophu phakathi neminyaka emihlanu.
Phakathi neminyaka yawo-1950 nawo-1960, amazwe ase-United States nayeyiSoviet Union asungula izindlela zokusakaza lesi sifo. Baningi kakhulu ososayensi okuthiwa babenza lesi sifo sibe isikhali.
Ingxibongo: Isifo esithelelwana kakhulu esibangelwa igciwane. Izimpawu zokuqala zihlanganisa imfiva, ukukhathala, ubuhlungu bekhanda neqolo. Kamuva kuvela izilonda ezibuhlungu ezibe sezigcwala ubovu. Umuntu oyedwa kwabathathu abanalesi sifo uyafa.
Ngo-1977 laqedwa igciwane lengxibongo emhlabeni jikelele. Ukugonyelwa ingxibongo kwaphela maphakathi nawo-1970. Akuqinisekwa ukuthi kubantu abagonywa ngaphambi kwalokho, bangaki abangase bangangenwa yilesi sifo, uma bekhona. Ayikatholakali indlela yokwelapha ingxibongo.
Lesi sifo sithelelwana ngamathe. Izingubo zokugqoka noma amashidi nako kungase kulisakaze leli gciwane.
Kusukela ngo-1980, iSoviet Union yaqala uhlelo olwaba impumelelo lokukhiqiza amagciwane amaningi kakhulu engxibongo futhi iwenze akwazi ukuthunyelwa kwamanye amazwe ngezikhali ezijikijelwayo. Kwenziwa nemizamo yokwakha amagciwane engxibongo anamandla ngokwengeziwe nathelelwana ngokushesha nakakhulu.
[Isithombe]
Igciwane elibanga i-“anthrax” nento ephilayo eyindilinga enengqamuzana elilodwa
[Imithombo]
Sources: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies.
Anthrax victim: CDC, Atlanta, Ga.; anthrax bacterium: ©Dr. Gary Gaugler, Photo Researchers; botulism bacterium: CDC/Courtesy of Larry Stauffer, Oregon State Public Health Laboratory
Plague bacterium: Copyright Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc.; smallpox virus: ©Meckes, Gelderblom, Eye of Science, Photo Researchers; smallpox victim: CDC/NIP/Barbara Rice
[Isithombe ekhasini 27]
Muva nje, izincwadi ezazine-“anthrax” zabangela ukwesaba yonke indawo
[Umthombo]
AP Photo/Axel Seidemann
[Isithombe ekhasini 27]
Amabhomu amakhemikhali noma amagciwane ajikijelwa emoyeni aqedwa amandla ngemva kweMpi YaseGulf
[Umthombo]
AP Photo/MOD