The History of Bioterrorism: Smallpox

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/training/historyofbt/
These videos describe the Category A diseases: smallpox, anthrax, botulism, plague, tularemia, and viral hemorrhagic fevers. If these germs were used to intentionally infect people, they would cause the most illness and death. Watch these videos to learn how some of these agents have been or can be used as bioterrorist weapons.

Note: Parts of this video were adapted from "Biological Warfare and Terrorism: The Military and Public Health Response," co-produced by the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1999.

**Note: An incident of deliberate infection of Native Americans with smallpox referred to in this video is incorrect. The incident to which the video refers occurred at Fort Pitt under Captain Simeon Ecuyer. General Jeffery Amherst never himself deliberately infected any Indians with smallpox blankets at Fort Ticonderoga. Moreover, the evidence that any successful epidemic resulted from this incident is very much in question by historians.**

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• history
• of
• bioterrorism
• biological
• warfare
• terrorism
• military
• public
• health
• response
• hazmat
• homeland
• security
• usamriid
• cdc
• centers
• for
• disease
• control
• outbreak
• virus
• smallpox
• anthrax
• botulism
• plague
• tularemia
• viral
• hemorrhagic
• fevers
• ebola
• hanta

[razmoe2000]

The british and the white north americans are sociopaths!

[NorthForkFisherman]

@Rexicano I'll go with what the evidence says. That's plainly put on the weight on English shoulders. They knew the disease, they knew a method of transmission, they knew the native population had never seen anything like this, and they had motive: eradication. And it was very effective. This is would stand up to the "beyond reasonable doubt" test in any court today. If you want to reject data based on you own "Native intelligence", fine. But I take my facts as they are, minus bias.

[Rexicano]

@NorthForkFisherman

I hope you're not trying to say the Indians had no "vitriol" for either the new arrivals OR for the other TRIBES they were at war with?

I'm Native American; does that make me more "insightful"? And all my family were US Military; again....do I know more. No.

You believe what you want re History. I'll believe in the Sherlock Holmes approach and trust my own Native intelligence. And "laws of war"? Anyone with sense knows you break them freely In the age of Drones.

[NorthForkFisherman]

@Rexicano It's only in the modern age that we have enforcable agreements and "laws of war". Chemical weapons have had their role on the battlefield, so also biological ones. We are fortunate to live in an age where most of these weapons are controlled by powers that have a little more enlightenment. It's one of my greatest fears that something like this will once more get into the hands of someone who's got nothing to lose.

[NorthForkFisherman]

@Rexicano The diaries and journals have been authenticated, the vitriol within them manifest, and as you seem to forget, most of the people who were of european origin had at least some exposure to the disease and perhaps a limited immunity, as it requires a certain dose of any pathogen for it to be effective. And yes, my insight is quite corect. After a career in the military, including a time as the NBC warfare officer of my unit, any weapon will be used if there is no consquence. (continued)

[Rexicano]

@NorthForkFisherman

Right; and you were there leaning over him as he wrote those letters.

Why do I not believe it?

LOGIC.

As I stated; the white guys were just as afraid as anyone of Smallpox. And the Officers would risk infecting their own men on the chance the Indians would get sick?

Like I said; your belief is that they were experts in vectors of disease. Right.

And as for your "That's just the nature of human life"...what insight!

[NorthForkFisherman]

@Rexicano "Great Fairy Tale." Except for the fact that the plan was documented by the primary suspect in many letters and journals in his own hand. Now there is no doubt that other exposure did occur thru contact that was both friendly and antagonistic. That's just the nature of human life. But I'm curious as to why you do not think this occured despite the data available?

[Rexicano]

@NorthForkFisherman

If they were "immunocompetent" then why were there so many sick and dying soldiers at the forts?

Since they were immunocompetent where did they get the smallpox?

Men were ordered to go pickup the blankets and had not a care about getting infected themselves. They had such sophisticated knowledge about microbiology...they were infectious Disease experts...they never burned the bedding of sick men...because they were immunocompetent.

Great Fairy Tale.

[NorthForkFisherman]

@Rexicano Previous infection or exposure to attenuated forms of the virus. Remember, europeans were definitely immunocompetent when exposed to this virus. And yes, it did happen. ""You will do well to try to inoculate the Indians, by means of blankets, as well as to try every other method that can serve to extirpate this execrable race." -Lord Jeffrey Amherst". There were certainly other exposures from contact, but this is quite damning.

[Rexicano]

@algood

Because it's not History; it bullshit.

How do they hand out blankets and NOT get infected themselves?

You lack logical thinking skills and research ability.