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This week,
CBS 21 News received the same email from several sources, describing a home remedy for preventing swine flu.
The email, titled "
Onions for Swine Flu Virus," tells the story of a doctor in the early 1900's. The doctor is said to have been visiting families, when he notices that many of the healthy families have been keeping bowls of raw, unpeeled onions inside their homes.
The author of the email claims for a few dollars spent on onions, you can ward off the flu, or at least a severe case of it. It suggest keeping the onions under furniture at both home and work, and claims the method has been successful for at least one place of business the author is familiar with.
CBS 21 News forwarded the email to several local doctors familiar with the treatment of the flu and the H1N1 virus, known as the swine flu.
Here are their responses:
"Flu is spread by droplets which spread when someone sneezes. The droplets are either inhaled directly into the nose or lungs or land on a surface which is touched and then spread to the nose or mouth when the person touches their face.
An onion will not be able to absorb all of the influenza virus in the room and certainly will not be able to suck the virus out of the air or off of a surface. The only way it might work is if the smell discourages sick people from visiting your house."
- Dr. John Goldman
Infectious Disease Specialist, Pinnacle Health
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"There is no reason to think that home remedies of this nature would protect someone from the flu. There is also no scientific evidence that indicates there are active ingredients in onions that kill or absorb the flu virus. So the public should not rely on these types of solutions to protect themselves against the flu.
Of note, in the narrative it mentions that the doctor looked at the onion under the microscope and saw the flu virus inside the onion. Influenza virus was first identified in 1930 (actually in ill pigs) - the first isolation from humans was in 1933. So there is no way the doctor could have seen the flu virus under the microscope - in onions or in any other specimens. Seeing the virus also requires a special microscope known as an electron microscope, which had not been invented at that time. The virus is too small to be seen under a regular microscope."
- Dr. Stephen Ostroff
Pennsylvania Department of Health
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Based on the doctors' comments, we are calling the claim that onions can ward off the swine flu a LIE.
Lie or Legit can be seen every Tuesday on CBS 21 News at 10 on the CW15.
To submit a topic for consideration, email mikeparker@cbs21.com
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