Unintended consequences by Jan Needle
ACCORDING to the Guardian, Donald, it's not the Mexicans, it's red squirrels. Those cuddly little critters who have been evilly decimated by the nasty grey variety (which hail originally from America please note) are in fact the main carriers of leprosy. It's only good luck, apparently, that they can run up trees faster than we can run to cuddle them. But scientists now warn that if you see one, dead or alive, don't touch it without a pair of gloves on. If you should find a pretty little russet corpse, stuff it in a plastic bag, then wash your hands. No kissing and stroking, however sweet you think the little darlin’ is. Take photographs, but from a distance. In case your nose drops off. True it is a good long time since there was a case contracted in Britain – 1798 in fact; is that long enough? – but recent research has just discovered that the squirrels on Brownsea Island in Dorset carry the strain responsible for leprosy in our fair ...