On Jackalope Manufacturing Processes

Tara links to an article from yesterday's NYT on the history of the discovery that HPV causes cervical cancer. If you want to read more, read the article or her discussion of it. I just wanted to make sure that everyone who reads this blog understands that Scientists Are Bastards, and We Should Not Be Messed With:

Research that could have led them in the right direction was done in the 1930’s by Dr. Richard Shope of the Rockefeller University, who on a hunting trip heard a friend describe seeing rabbits with “horns,” which were actually large warts.

Dr. Shope asked his friend to send some of the horns. He then ground them up, filtered them through porcelain that let only tiny virus-size particles through, and injected the filtrate into other rabbits, which grew horns in turn.

You understand that, citizens of the world? You mess with our gardens, and WE WILL INJECT YOU WITH VIRUSES THAT GIVE YOU CANCER AND MAKE YOU GROW HORNS.

That guy who advertises natural cures for everything at 2 in the morning? You're next.