Moldovan Soldiers Use Onions, Garlic to Ward Off Swine Flu

Thursday, November 19, 2009
By Staff, Associated Press


Chisinau, Moldova (AP) - Moldova's army is feeding its soldiers onions and garlic to help them ward off swine flu.

Defense Ministry chief doctor Col. Sergiu Vasislita says about 0.9 ounces (25 grams) of onions and 0.5 ounces (15 grams) of garlic will be added to each soldier's daily diet. That roughly corresponds to a small onion and a couple of garlic cloves.

Onion and garlic are traditional remedies in Moldova where they are widely believed to boost the immune system.

Vasislita said Thursday that the measure was taken after 24 soldiers fell sick with swine flu in the past two weeks. More than 1,000 Moldovans have swine flu with 90 new cases reported daily.

About 6,500 troops serve in the army of Moldova, a small former Soviet republic bordering Romania and Ukraine.

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"An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but an onion a day keeps everyone away." - unknown

This could work. If no one comes near you, you have less risk of contagious disease. Why is it that a two-bit nation like Moldova can come up with a "thinking outside the box" medical breakthrough like this, while the brain-dead U.S. government medical experts are sitting around licking anal thermometers, trying to guess the flavor?