Native American Tribes. When a smallpox epidemic occurred at Fort Pitt (located in what is now Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) in June of 1763, Captain Ecuyer sent blankets from the hospitals to Native Americans” (Decker 96). This example proves that biological warfare got used in the past as a weapon. The captain hoped to infect the Native Americans with smallpox. This example does not stand alone. “A more recent U.S. biological attack occurred just after the Al Qaeda attacks of September 11, 2001, on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. An unknown actor mailed a powder containing infectious anthrax spores to two U.S. senators and several media outlets” (Nardo 11). This attack also represents an example of biological warfare.
The attackers …show more content…
Vaccines prevent and protect our military from this terrible weapon. Biological warfare can impact the strength of a military and can cause a military to lose many members. “The use of effective vaccines would likely protect lives and limit disease spread in a biological weapons emergency. Licensed vaccines are currently available for a few threats, such as anthrax and smallpox, and research is underway to develop and produce vaccines for other threats, such as tularemia, Ebola virus, and Marburg virus” (Nardo 4). Anthrax and smallpox represent two main diseases that may potentially affect the military personnel most. Anthrax can turn into a very dangerous disease. “Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by a gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. Although it is rare, people can get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products” (Anthrax par. 1). Even though Anthrax can terribly infect people, a …show more content…
“Smallpox is an acute contagious disease caused by the variola virus, a member of the orthopoxvirus family” (“Smallpox” par. 1). An acute contagious disease should be avoided at all costs. Thankfully, Edward Jenner created a vaccine for smallpox in 1796. “...Jenner, knew nothing about germs, he knew plenty about smallpox and inoculation. As a boy of eight, in 1757, Jenner endured what he called the worst experience of his life - a smallpox inoculation… Luckily, Jenner lived and gained a lifelong immunity to smallpox. The experience had another unforeseen effect; when he grew up, Jenner became a doctor, remembering his childhood brush with smallpox, dedicated himself to finding some way to cure this dread disease” (Nardo 29). Due to his unfortunate encounter with disease, Jenner created the vaccine for smallpox that ended up eradicating the disease. “Vaccines offer hope for the eradication of other diseases. Over the years, scientists have developed vaccines for many illnesses and many of these have proven effective. But none has been as effective on a worldwide scale as the smallpox vaccine” (Burge 11). The vaccine for smallpox proves to provide great protection to help strengthen one’s immunity. Service members get the smallpox vaccine to protect them against biological warfare. “Smallpox vaccine prevents smallpox, a deadly viral disease. Because there is concern that smallpox
The attackers …show more content…
Vaccines prevent and protect our military from this terrible weapon. Biological warfare can impact the strength of a military and can cause a military to lose many members. “The use of effective vaccines would likely protect lives and limit disease spread in a biological weapons emergency. Licensed vaccines are currently available for a few threats, such as anthrax and smallpox, and research is underway to develop and produce vaccines for other threats, such as tularemia, Ebola virus, and Marburg virus” (Nardo 4). Anthrax and smallpox represent two main diseases that may potentially affect the military personnel most. Anthrax can turn into a very dangerous disease. “Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by a gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. Although it is rare, people can get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products” (Anthrax par. 1). Even though Anthrax can terribly infect people, a …show more content…
“Smallpox is an acute contagious disease caused by the variola virus, a member of the orthopoxvirus family” (“Smallpox” par. 1). An acute contagious disease should be avoided at all costs. Thankfully, Edward Jenner created a vaccine for smallpox in 1796. “...Jenner, knew nothing about germs, he knew plenty about smallpox and inoculation. As a boy of eight, in 1757, Jenner endured what he called the worst experience of his life - a smallpox inoculation… Luckily, Jenner lived and gained a lifelong immunity to smallpox. The experience had another unforeseen effect; when he grew up, Jenner became a doctor, remembering his childhood brush with smallpox, dedicated himself to finding some way to cure this dread disease” (Nardo 29). Due to his unfortunate encounter with disease, Jenner created the vaccine for smallpox that ended up eradicating the disease. “Vaccines offer hope for the eradication of other diseases. Over the years, scientists have developed vaccines for many illnesses and many of these have proven effective. But none has been as effective on a worldwide scale as the smallpox vaccine” (Burge 11). The vaccine for smallpox proves to provide great protection to help strengthen one’s immunity. Service members get the smallpox vaccine to protect them against biological warfare. “Smallpox vaccine prevents smallpox, a deadly viral disease. Because there is concern that smallpox