Pain, Chills vomiting, scarring, extreme infectivity, and tissue filled pustules were symptoms of a disease that infected millions over the course of humanity. The disease was Smallpox. Caused by the virus Variola, Smallpox was extremely infectious and left its deadly marks on history, attacking cities such as Boston and Athens throughout its reign of terror. Through the world’s first vaccine it was nearly eradicated. However, the risk of a bioterrorist attack still remains. Smallpox is extremely dangerous, and even though there is a vaccine, it could still be used as an effective bio-weapon.
The cause of Smallpox is actually two strands of a virus called variola. The two strands of viruses are Variola Major and Variola Minor; Variola Minor kills about 1% of infected patients while Variola kills about 30% of infected patients (Funk and Wagnall’s 3). Variola minor can leave permanent scarring and blindness, instead of a higher death rate (Eugene 11). Variola major leaves less scarring, but a higher chance that the infected will die. If the infected goes through the ordeal of either Variola Major or Variola Minor they will often be left blind, scarred, or in the worst-case, dead.
Symptoms of Smallpox mature over a span of several days after the incubation period, a span of time where the infected is non-contagious and shows no symptoms of the disease. This period can last 7-17 days (Mayo Clinic 1). After Incubation during the start of symptoms days 2 to 6, patients’ experience high fever, headaches, back pain, chills, and vomiting (Eugene 15). From days 4 to 6 patients experience severe rashes. Days 6 to 8 the patient becomes most contagious, spreading disease infected molecules on surfaces and in the air (Center for disease control 9). From day 8 to 10 pustules, thick elevated cases of skin with tissue debris form (Eugene 16). During recovery the pustules begin to crust and scab, this can cause permanent scarring (Funk and Wagnall’s 3). After the scabs have fallen off, the infected is no longer infectious.
In the city of Boston, the year 1871 an epidemic of Smallpox arose, killing over 2,000 citizens and injuring many more before it died down in 1873 (Harvard 1). Despite regulations by city officials a second epidemic broke out in 1874, ending the year 1881 and killing 1,500 Boston citizens (Harvard 1). Boston was far from the only area to experience smallpox. From 1700-1800 in Glasgow 50 percent of the city’s children died before they were 10, 40 percent of those deaths were from Smallpox (Eugene 6). Smallpox also killed important officials, such as Queen Elizabeth II of England and Ramses V of Egypt (Eugene 5). It is estimated that over 12 millennia, Smallpox has had the highest accumulative death toll of any disease in history (Funk and Wagnall’s 1).
Deadly as the disease was, it did have a weakness. In 1796 a man named Edward Jenner noticed that those who were exposed to cowpox developed an immunity towards Smallpox (Eugene 10). To test this theory Jenner infected a young boy with Cowpox and then weeks later introduced the boy to the Smallpox virus. (Funk and Wagnall’s 12) The child was not infected. This was the first historical case of a vaccine, but the first vaccine did not come without its own problems. If a supply was contaminated it could spread a disease rapidly from person to person, shown in an 1861 incident in Italy, where 41 children were infected with Syphilis from a contaminated Smallpox vaccine (Eugene 11). After years of experimentation, a way of freeze-drying the vaccine was created, allowing it to be distributed around the world.
The governments of the world leapt to the possible solution to Smallpox. In 1967, The World Health Organization “WHO” led a campaign to eradicate Smallpox. By 1980, Smallpox was declared eradicated from non-lab areas around the world after there had been no cases of outbreaks for three years (Eugene 5). There were only two known stocks of the smallpox virus left, one in a Center for disease Control Lab in Atlanta, and one in the Russian State Research Center (Funk and Wagnall’s 5). The schedule for the destruction of the samples was set for 2002, originally 1999 (Funk and Wagnall’s 5). However in the fear of a bioterrorist attack, the samples were kept so that they could be studied in case of an extreme situation.
Smallpox can be used as a bio-weapon in a variety of ways. Virus infected clothing can be distributed to the enemy, and the virus can be mass-produced in an aerosol form. In history, Smallpox was used as a bio-weapon, particularly by Europeans against natives of the Americas. In the French and Indian wars, Smallpox infected clothing was given to the natives of America, and death rates from Smallpox rose up to 50% with the unprepared Native Americans (Funk and Wagnall’s 6, Henderson 6). George Washington had his soldiers be wary of any Boston refugees, who were often infected with smallpox. The British would use these civilians to infect Washington’s army.
Knowing from situations such as those that Smallpox had the potential to be used violently, WHO was afraid that violent extremists might attempt to attack large cities with the smallpox virus. Tensions rose when Ken Aliberk, a former director of the Civilians Bio-Weapons program in the Soviet Union, reported to the world that the Soviet Union had attempted to mass produce the Smallpox virus and incorporate it in weapons such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (Henderson 9). He also reported that they were trying to develop superior versions of the Smallpox virus (Henderson 9). In the case of a Smallpox attack, stockpiles of the vaccine are kept in labs around the world. The U.S. Government runs a training program with possible scenarios of a widespread Smallpox epidemic. The other world governments are also preparing for the dangerous scenario.
The virus Smallpox caused by two forms of Variola has shown itself to be extremely dangerous countless times in the past. Killing millions over the span of history, this disease wreaks havoc through its host’s body with pustules and permanent scarring. Extremely infectious, as shown in the Boston epidemic, the disease is extremely challenging to contain, scarring, wounding, and slaughtering thousands before it dies down. Not only is it natural, Smallpox has the potential to become a bio-weapon. Even through the discovery of the vaccine, and the destruction of non–lab contained Smallpox; violent extremists still could use the disease as a weapon. The world governments are preparing for such a situation, ready to counter a bio-weapon attack. Smallpox is extremely dangerous, and even though there is a vaccine; it could still be used as an effective bio-weapon. What would happen to you, and your family if there were an uncontrolled epidemic?
The cause of Smallpox is actually two strands of a virus called variola. The two strands of viruses are Variola Major and Variola Minor; Variola Minor kills about 1% of infected patients while Variola kills about 30% of infected patients (Funk and Wagnall’s 3). Variola minor can leave permanent scarring and blindness, instead of a higher death rate (Eugene 11). Variola major leaves less scarring, but a higher chance that the infected will die. If the infected goes through the ordeal of either Variola Major or Variola Minor they will often be left blind, scarred, or in the worst-case, dead.
Symptoms of Smallpox mature over a span of several days after the incubation period, a span of time where the infected is non-contagious and shows no symptoms of the disease. This period can last 7-17 days (Mayo Clinic 1). After Incubation during the start of symptoms days 2 to 6, patients’ experience high fever, headaches, back pain, chills, and vomiting (Eugene 15). From days 4 to 6 patients experience severe rashes. Days 6 to 8 the patient becomes most contagious, spreading disease infected molecules on surfaces and in the air (Center for disease control 9). From day 8 to 10 pustules, thick elevated cases of skin with tissue debris form (Eugene 16). During recovery the pustules begin to crust and scab, this can cause permanent scarring (Funk and Wagnall’s 3). After the scabs have fallen off, the infected is no longer infectious.
In the city of Boston, the year 1871 an epidemic of Smallpox arose, killing over 2,000 citizens and injuring many more before it died down in 1873 (Harvard 1). Despite regulations by city officials a second epidemic broke out in 1874, ending the year 1881 and killing 1,500 Boston citizens (Harvard 1). Boston was far from the only area to experience smallpox. From 1700-1800 in Glasgow 50 percent of the city’s children died before they were 10, 40 percent of those deaths were from Smallpox (Eugene 6). Smallpox also killed important officials, such as Queen Elizabeth II of England and Ramses V of Egypt (Eugene 5). It is estimated that over 12 millennia, Smallpox has had the highest accumulative death toll of any disease in history (Funk and Wagnall’s 1).
Deadly as the disease was, it did have a weakness. In 1796 a man named Edward Jenner noticed that those who were exposed to cowpox developed an immunity towards Smallpox (Eugene 10). To test this theory Jenner infected a young boy with Cowpox and then weeks later introduced the boy to the Smallpox virus. (Funk and Wagnall’s 12) The child was not infected. This was the first historical case of a vaccine, but the first vaccine did not come without its own problems. If a supply was contaminated it could spread a disease rapidly from person to person, shown in an 1861 incident in Italy, where 41 children were infected with Syphilis from a contaminated Smallpox vaccine (Eugene 11). After years of experimentation, a way of freeze-drying the vaccine was created, allowing it to be distributed around the world.
The governments of the world leapt to the possible solution to Smallpox. In 1967, The World Health Organization “WHO” led a campaign to eradicate Smallpox. By 1980, Smallpox was declared eradicated from non-lab areas around the world after there had been no cases of outbreaks for three years (Eugene 5). There were only two known stocks of the smallpox virus left, one in a Center for disease Control Lab in Atlanta, and one in the Russian State Research Center (Funk and Wagnall’s 5). The schedule for the destruction of the samples was set for 2002, originally 1999 (Funk and Wagnall’s 5). However in the fear of a bioterrorist attack, the samples were kept so that they could be studied in case of an extreme situation.
Smallpox can be used as a bio-weapon in a variety of ways. Virus infected clothing can be distributed to the enemy, and the virus can be mass-produced in an aerosol form. In history, Smallpox was used as a bio-weapon, particularly by Europeans against natives of the Americas. In the French and Indian wars, Smallpox infected clothing was given to the natives of America, and death rates from Smallpox rose up to 50% with the unprepared Native Americans (Funk and Wagnall’s 6, Henderson 6). George Washington had his soldiers be wary of any Boston refugees, who were often infected with smallpox. The British would use these civilians to infect Washington’s army.
Knowing from situations such as those that Smallpox had the potential to be used violently, WHO was afraid that violent extremists might attempt to attack large cities with the smallpox virus. Tensions rose when Ken Aliberk, a former director of the Civilians Bio-Weapons program in the Soviet Union, reported to the world that the Soviet Union had attempted to mass produce the Smallpox virus and incorporate it in weapons such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (Henderson 9). He also reported that they were trying to develop superior versions of the Smallpox virus (Henderson 9). In the case of a Smallpox attack, stockpiles of the vaccine are kept in labs around the world. The U.S. Government runs a training program with possible scenarios of a widespread Smallpox epidemic. The other world governments are also preparing for the dangerous scenario.
The virus Smallpox caused by two forms of Variola has shown itself to be extremely dangerous countless times in the past. Killing millions over the span of history, this disease wreaks havoc through its host’s body with pustules and permanent scarring. Extremely infectious, as shown in the Boston epidemic, the disease is extremely challenging to contain, scarring, wounding, and slaughtering thousands before it dies down. Not only is it natural, Smallpox has the potential to become a bio-weapon. Even through the discovery of the vaccine, and the destruction of non–lab contained Smallpox; violent extremists still could use the disease as a weapon. The world governments are preparing for such a situation, ready to counter a bio-weapon attack. Smallpox is extremely dangerous, and even though there is a vaccine; it could still be used as an effective bio-weapon. What would happen to you, and your family if there were an uncontrolled epidemic?