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Summary: Black Magic And A.i.d.s. (Press, 21 July 1987)
In a thought-provoking article published in the medical journal "Lancet," Dr. F. Noireau, a doctor based in Brazzaville, Congo, proposes that traditional magic rites may have played a significant role in the spread of the A.I.D.S. virus, specifically HIV. This revelation follows the widely accepted belief that HIV originated from African monkeys and transitioned to humans, subsequently spreading in rural regions before exploding into a global pandemic affecting an estimated 10 million people. Dr. Noireau draws attention to practices among the peoples in the Great Lakes area of central Africa, where monkey blood was reportedly used as an aphrodisiac during sexual rituals. This concept is backed by A. Kashamura’s seminal work, "Essaie Sur Les Moeurs Sexuelles Et Les Cultures Des Peuples Des Grandes Lacs Africain," in which it is documented that monkey blood was inoculated directly into the pubic area, thighs, and back to provoke intense sexual activity. He argues that this method of inoculation could serve as a highly effective means of virus transmission, similar to the way drug addicts can contract HIV through shared needles. While sex remains the primary mode of transmission of the virus, Dr. Noireau suggests that the practice of inoculating monkey blood likely prompted sexual encounters, fostering conditions ripe for the virus to infect humans. In contrast to other theories suggesting that the virus spread through bites or the consumption of monkey meat, Dr. Noireau concludes that the ritualistic use of monkey blood may be the more plausible origin of HIV's transmission to humans, asserting that these ancient magic practices could have significantly contributed to the emergence of A.I.D.S. in humans.
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