'Scourge': Killing the Disease - The Once and Future Threat of Smallpox

The New York Times ^ | 10/27/01 | Ed Regis

[CoolH2OH]

Yes, and don't you think at the first record of anyone with a disease like smallpox that was declared non existent, the vaccine would be standard procedure for everyone immediately. They shouldn't be able to kill anymore than the WTC, if we respond properly, although 1 is too many. RIP for those with anthrax.

[Theresa]

"Yes, and don't you think at the first record of anyone with a disease like smallpox that was declared non existent, the vaccine would be standard procedure for everyone immediately. "

Right. It could kill some people. But I think we could get it under control very quickly. It would not be like in the Dark Ages when plague wiped out 1/3 of the population. The whole world would go into a panic if they tried small pox. There would such a fear that it would spread accross the globe even to the Middle East. I think the terrorists would worry about blow back on that one. I really am not so worried about smallpox.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

How did you come by the link?

[GeekDejure]

All of this recent crap with Bush cozying up to Putin makes me want to vomit right in GWBs face !!! Does he not understand that the Russians . . . just like the Arabs, et al., want us all to be DEAD . . . DEAD . . . DEAD ?!?!?!

[GeekDejure]

All of this recent crap with Bush cozying up to Putin makes me want to vomit right in GWBs face !!! Does he not understand that the Russians . . . just like the Arabs, et al., want us all to be DEAD . . . DEAD . . . DEAD ?!?!?!

[apackof2]

Does he not understand that the Russians . . . just
like the Arabs, et al., want us all to be DEAD . . . DEAD . . . DEAD ?!?!?!

He may not ,but I do

[Theresa]

Aggg! That second article was depressing. Here's a quote that shows that the expert I saw on TV was wrong.

"For years, the scientific community generally thought that biological weapons weren't effective as weapons, especially because it was thought that they're difficult to disperse in the air. This view persists, and one reason is that biologists know little or nothing about aerosol-particle technology. The silicon-chip industry is full of machines that can spread particles in the air. To learn more, I called a leading epidemiologist and bioterrorism expert, Michael Osterholm, who has been poking around companies and labs where these devices are invented. "I have a device the size of a credit card sitting on my desk," he said. "It makes an invisible mist of particles in the one-to-five-micron size range—that size hangs in the air for hours, and gets into the lungs. You can run it on a camcorder battery. If you load it with two tablespoons of infectious fluid, it could fill a whole airport terminal with particles." Osterholm speculated that the device could create thousands of smallpox cases in the first wave. "

Well ignorance was bliss.

[alethia]

About an attending physician being able to recognize smallpox -- not necessarily. It hasn't been around for quite awhile. It could have symptoms similar to other types of illnesses. It may not be easily detectable.

I just asked my husband, who's in family practice, if he'd pick up on it immediately -- he said probably not off the top of his head. That it is extremely uncommon even with folks on alert.

Don't forget -- we've had people die of Anthrax after seeing their health professional.

A terrorist doesn't have to necessarily catch smallpox to pass it along -- it could be passed via other means.

[Theresa]

Yeah I think you are right.

[tallhappy]

I've seen it. Black pox is the most severe form of small pox. The pustules are black due to blood. As black pox is is hemoragic, like ebola.

[tallhappy]

You are completely wrong in what you are saying.

Do not say things that are so inaccurate.

Small pox can be spread by people who don't yet know they have it and even by people who are infected but do not come down with the disease.

[Theresa]

"You are completely wrong in what you are saying. "

I was just repeating what an expert said on TV. Now I know that was wrong. See my post where I said, "Ignorance was bliss."

[Theresa]

"Small pox can be spread by people who don't yet know they have it and even by people who are infected but do not come down with the disease."

Right. I was misinformed.

[tallhappy]

See my post where I said, "Ignorance was bliss."

I didn't see that post.

I am glad to hear you say that.

Some people spread misnfo either purposely or out of an unwillingness to not believe what they have set in their minds.

In times of peace that sort of thing is frustrating but not harmful.

[ppaul]

Horrible. A vision of hell.