AntiViral Ep. 8: The Germ Duel — A Century of Failed Experiments
When Deliberate Exposure Did Not Cause Disease
In this eighth episode of AntiViral, we explore a few of the most direct historical challenges to the germ “theory” of disease.
In some of the most striking—and largely forgotten—episodes in medical history, physicians tested germ hypotheses on themselves, on volunteers, and even on their own family members, with some fully expecting disease to follow. It didn’t.
This video highlights several of the strongest examples, including:
Dr. Mathew Rodermund, who covered himself with material from smallpox pustules and continued his daily routine, exposing over 50,000 people—without any resulting illness.
Max von Pettenkofer, the foremost authority on cholera, who deliberately drank pure cultures of Koch’s comma bacillus and did not develop the disease.
Dr. Thomas Powell and Dr. John Fraser, who injected and ingested what were considered the most “deadly” bacteria of their time—experimenting on themselves and their families—without causing sickness.
Dr. Arthur Waite, a dentist who attempted to murder his father-in-law using “deadly” germs, only to fail repeatedly and ultimately resort to chemical poison to complete the crime.
Dr. Milton Rosenau, who attempted to understand Spanish flu transmission by exposing volunteers to bacteria, secretions, blood, and direct contact with influenza patients—without successfully transmitting disease.
These are just a few of the cases examined in my article The Germ Duel, which are featured in this episode. Many more exist.
The pattern is clear: deliberate exposure to supposedly lethal microbes repeatedly failed to produce disease. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the germ hypothesis was tested directly, and repeatedly falsified.
Ask yourself why these stories are so rarely told.
As you likely know, the "virus" bogeyman has arrived in Greece. Kill the animals is the health "officals" declaration... Insane times these
Euro CDC, EFSA & Greek institutions fail scientific evidence challenges on entire Poxviridae family of viruses: sheeppox virus, goatpox virus, lumpy skin disease virus...
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### Variola virus, monkeypox virus...
Christine FOIs
Apr 7
Greetings and Best Wishes,
In October 2025, a contact in Greece messaged me:
> “One of the most disturbing developments is the Greek government’s current action to systematically decimate the livestock industry by targeting sheep and goat populations—cattle are likely to follow—under the false pretext of a non-existent sheeppox and goatpox imaginary viruses. This is having catastrophic consequences, not only wiping out a crucial food source for the Greek population and beyond but also indirectly leading to the destruction of livestock farmers/ breeders who are horrified by the government’s actions. It is a truly tragic situation…”
At their suggestion, I contacted several Greek and European institutions, challenging them to demonstrate that they hold records containing foundational evidence necessary to show the existence of these claimed viral health threats, or any other virus of the Poxviridae family, or even of the relevant illnesses being “contagious”/transmitted between people/animals.
Not even 1 such record was provided or cited by any of the 4 institutions.
Below are descriptions of my requests, the institutions’ responses and lack thereof, and links to all of the communications.
(Free online translators can be used to translate any Greek communications that aren’t already translated below - just copy and paste text into one of them).
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European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
ECDC is 1 of 5 agencies comprising the EU Cross-agency One Health Task Force. On November 3, 2025, ECDC posted A Joint Statement of the EU Cross-agency One Health Task Force and the European and Central Asia Quadripartite on One Health. The statement urges enhanced global and regional coordination and strategic investment in One Health governance, leadership and approaches, in order to deal with animal welfare and food security threats - including a list of conditions that, according to the establishment, are contagious and caused by viruses. Lumpy skin disease is specifically mentioned in that statement.
On October 19, 2025 I requested all studies in the possession, custody or control of the ECDC, authored by anyone, anywhere, ever:
1. that scientifically prove or provide evidence of the existence of the alleged goatpox virus, sheeppox virus, lumpy skin disease virus or any other alleged virus of the Poxviridae family,
2. or (if no records exist for #1) that at least describe the purification of particles that are claimed to be any of these alleged viruses directly from bodily fluid/tissue of so-called "hosts",
3. or, wherein the purported "genome" of any of these alleged viruses was found intact in the bodily fluid/tissue of a "host" (as opposed to fabricated in silico, aka computer modelled),
4. or, that scientifically demonstrate transmission / contagion of any of the illnesses that are allegedly caused by any of said purported viruses,
5. or, wherein any test that purportedly relates to any of these alleged viruses was validated.
Because freedom of information legislation often does not apply to records that are already publicly available, I asked (as I always have) that if any records match the description of requested records and are currently available elsewhere, that the institution please assist by providing enough information about each record so that it can be identified and accessed with certainty (i.e. title, author(s), date, journal, location) and that URLs be provided where possible (pgs 1-2).
On October 19, 2025, “The Info Team at ECDC” responded (pg 3). Instead of providing or citing responsive studies, or admitting that ECDC doesn’t have any, they stated that of all the (imagined) viruses of the Poxviridae family only smallpox and mpox (monkeypox) viruses are notifiable and the remainder “are not under ECDC’s surveillance”.
The anonymous “Team” then referred me to this ECDC smallpox page that does not link to any responsive studies and this ECDC monkeypox page that does not link to any responsive studies, and signed off with “Kind regards”.
In other words, they indirectly confessed that ECDC doesn’t have even 1 responsive study for any of the other alleged viruses and they weren’t willing to specify even 1 study for the supposed smallpox or monkeypox viruses… because if they did then I and others would point out show how ridiculous the studies are. Challenge: failed.