Erin Brockovich investigating mystery illness affecting NY teens

its called the HPV vaccine!!

15 people and all but 1 are female. The chance of the cause being a chemical spill (that all students would have equal exposure to) is remote.

Scam, witch-hunt. Girls need to get laid.

Appendiceal Signet ring cell Adenocarcinoma. A cancer so rare that at any given time in the US population (300 million) there will be 12 active cases. Someone please explain to me why just a few years ago 7 of 12 of those cases all came from the same small town of 8000. Furthermore 5 of those cases were people who were the same age and went to the same high school in the 70's. And all 7 lived within 10 blocks of each other. Yet the health department refuses to investigate. The EPA says it does not conduct research on events that may have happened that long ago. The CDC says that since they all grew up and moved away to different states that they could not possibly be linked. FYI...all 7 ( including my wife) are dead.

I hope their problems are reversible.

Where I grew up, the neighboring town was Woburn MA. As kids we knew that "all the kids in Woburn have Leukemia" we didn't think much about it - it was just one of those facts. They made a movie about it a few years ago called "A Civil Action" and the Leukemia was, in fact, connected to illegal dumping of toxic byproduct from the shoe industry from many years ago - because the effects of it don't go away, they just gradually seep into the water over time, and contaminate it. That's why environmental damage matters.

I don't give a crap WHO opens the door to more investigation, as long as SOMEONE does!! telling these girls that this is caused by stress is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!! it is OBVIOUSLY something environmental!! if this was my daughter, i would be screaming from the rooftops for help!

I was in the Air Force during the early 60's. The teletype repairmen practically bathed in Tri-Chlor. About that time they changed to Carbon-Tet. As the "experts" determined it was so much safer. . Tri-Chlor . .was known to cause Liver damage . About 15-20 years ago .. a good friend died from "nervous system" disorders. He had spent nearly 30 yrs repairing business machines cleaned with Carbon-Tet. Bottom line . .any solvent that disolves petrochemical residue . . .will be harmfull to your system. Govt. experts are fools owned by industry lobbyists.

I think the environment is responsible for many health issues today, both mental and physical. So do many of my friends and relatives. I believe growth hormones in animals are the reason very young girls are already in puberty. Crops are sprayed with pesticides, and the government is too lax in allowing things to come into this country (things we consume, either as food or drugs). Then, there are the toxic toys made in other countries. We also have the industrial aspect and the toxic spills. My area has a higher incidence of death from cancer than other parts of the state. When I was young, one rarely heard about anyone having cancer. My best friend's parents (both) died of cancer, though they had healthy living habits. Two of her cousins also died of it. My daughter's sister-in-law died of cancer, and so did one of her best friends. Then, there are the other issues like ADHD, Alzheimer's.

35,000 gallons of trichloroethene. And they don't suspect that. Are you kidding me. I wouldn't want any property with in fifty miles of that place.

I wouldn't be surprised. If you drink the water here (I live just outside of Buffalo) all you smell is chlorine and all you see is junk in the water. And we live in a "good" area. They've been letting 100+ yr old buildings rust and rot into the water...rat droppings and all. The famous "Love Canal" spill near Niagara Falls? They built a neighborhood pretty much ON it. All the water around here has tested for something in one way or another. Buffalo has one of the highest concentrations of thyroid problems/cancers around....heck I was in perfect health until I moved to this area. Keep investigating, but it's not like anything's going to change. The only time they care is when they start getting bad press.

All those kids have something in common, it might be just the symptoms themselves, or maybe something more. But the government is too quick to wash its hands of the matter.

let the chips fall where they may with the truth. go Erin

really? my son had tourettes and it is no joking matter. I have thought while watching this on the news that something is being overlooked. It is happening to mostly girls but now a boy as well. I don't understand why there are so many disgusting and ignorant comments on here. As far as it being a devil thing, science has proven that brain chemistry goes awry and it has nothing to do with the spiritual realm. Brain scans are done frequently now. It is important that someone look into a cluster situation like this and not just take the word of a Shrink. How many companies have illegally dumped toxic chemicals and nobody knows. They need to be held accountable. I applaud Erin Brockovich for at least investigating the possibilities.

Hooray ! for Erin Brockovitch. Hope people like her get to the bottom of this. I would like to add : The Ramapough of Ramapo, Hillburn, Mahwah, Ringwood, Sloatsburgh, Suffern etc. are fighting NJ and NY over paint sludge. The paint sludge was dumped around the area and has leached into the soil and water. The culprit, Ford Motor Company of Mahwah, NJ which was located in the southern valley of the Catskill Mountains. People there are inflicted with various forms of cancer. Court battles are on- going as Ford denies blame, but are trying to clean up the toxic waste. The water tables here also supply water to NYC, NJ and PA.

There is more and more research coming out about psychotropic drugs getting into our drinking water. Is there a pharmaceutical plant close by that could possibly be dumping this stuff into the public water supply? I know that "the man" ruled out environmental causes, but of course we never hear truth from the FDA. Sounds a little fishy to me. Somebody seems to be covering up something and EPA are probobly in cahoots with the NIMH and FDA. When will people get it? Big money in mental illness and disease! Wake up America. Will not see the truth when $$$ talks. Just like the Meth epidemic...research it. It's all conspiracy and profits.

I'm remaining anonymous, aside from I live in Le Roy, NY, and That high school has been a hazardous waste of money since it was built. Some big notes just about the school it's self (I'll hit other topics further down) for all those out there reading this, for 1, it was built ON a swamp, that's right a swamp, they wouldn't have even needed fill if it was built somewhere appropriate. Why was it built on a swamp? Because the president of the school board (I'll let you find his name yourselves), had a useless valueless swamp he wanted to rid himself of, so he sold it to, go figure the school. Since it was built there's been moisture issues in the building, as well as outside; for example the courtyard floods so bad they need a sub pump to drain it so it doesn't flood into the building, there is a mosquito ridden swampy pond right next to it that formed on it's own because the soil holds so much water. The gym floor has already been replaced due to warping, and it's really not that old, that whole building is fairly new. The mold count was recorded low, as of recently, well this is upstate new York in the winter, of course it is, just wait till spring. and the rest of the health hazard emphasis you should already know from the article, that is no place for a high school.
Now onto another topic; I'm no expert but tourettes is not the only issue seen coming out of that school, but people like to disregard behavioral issues which is abundant in both boys and girls. The school it's self doesn't address it well; for years they've been pushing people who have behavioral trouble right out of school, like drop out of school push. this was with the now former principal and the now current vice principal. Now, How could things like this go on in such abundance; Well there's more, Including the strange relation between the less then honorable police station and that school, which has allowed many things to be kept quiet, things that are sickening. The things that were hidden are disgusting that things like that could happen in a school.
For any of you wondering why I would list all this, and barely bring up the tourettes itself, because theres allot more going on that is being overlooked that could be contributing to these issues, and now I'm giving some direction to where fingers should be pointed.
Maybe these investigations boundries should be expanded.

The school district is denying responsibility before anyone says they have any part in this. Makes you wonder what do they know and when did they know it.

I think its important to get this info out...however...it is dangerous for those investigating it. Sending best wishes to Ms. Brockovich in a speedy conclussion of events and a safe return home.

If it is a neurology problem it may not manifest itself until a certain part of development. Do remember that even in the teen years you are still growing. While this is still suspicious it should not be ruled out that its an environmental problem. It is disturbing that so many have had this happen to them. I think until everything is checked out and some testing is done it may not be solved for awhile, but this should be looked into none the less as *if this is a result of the spill or another factor it could result in many more people becoming ill from it. As for only being females that are getting ill I believe a few males were ill from this as well from what I read. My best advice is wait and see how it unfolds as skeptical as this looks there are many facts/information missing out of this that need to be explained/investigated.