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    Smallpox emerged as a deadly disease 3000 years ago in the Middle East. It killed around 3 out of 10 infected people. In the 20th century, scientists developed a vaccine that helped eradicate smallpox worldwide through a global vaccination program led by the WHO. However, some cultural and religious groups objected to vaccination on ethical grounds. While smallpox was eliminated, some fear it could potentially be weaponized due to past biological weapons programs. The global vaccination campaign was ultimately successful in ridding the world of smallpox.

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    Small Pox Essay

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    Smallpox emerged as a deadly disease 3000 years ago in the Middle East. It killed around 3 out of 10 infected people. In the 20th century, scientists developed a vaccine that helped eradicate smallpox worldwide through a global vaccination program led by the WHO. However, some cultural and religious groups objected to vaccination on ethical grounds. While smallpox was eliminated, some fear it could potentially be weaponized due to past biological weapons programs. The global vaccination campaign was ultimately successful in ridding the world of smallpox.

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    87 views3 pages

    09 Sci Smallpoxvaccine 17anguss

    Uploaded by

    17anguss
    Smallpox emerged as a deadly disease 3000 years ago in the Middle East. It killed around 3 out of 10 infected people. In the 20th century, scientists developed a vaccine that helped eradicate smallpox worldwide through a global vaccination program led by the WHO. However, some cultural and religious groups objected to vaccination on ethical grounds. While smallpox was eliminated, some fear it could potentially be weaponized due to past biological weapons programs. The global vaccination campaign was ultimately successful in ridding the world of smallpox.

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    of 3

    Angus John Sinclair-thompson

    9B

    26/09/12

    Essay on Smallpox Disease and Vaccine


    3000 years ago in the Middle East a disease was born (World Health Organization). This disease would prove to be one of the deadliest diseases in the world, it is called smallpox. There are two different versions of smallpox variola major and minor. 3 out of 10 people diagnosed with smallpox die (Mil Vax). After centuries of the disease in the 20th century a vaccine for smallpox was created the by the WHO (World Health Organization). To stop this insane virus, world leaders sunk billions of dollars (U.S) to spread the vaccine. In the U.S alone a 433 million dollar (U.S) plan was created to provide vaccine for smallpox and many others were also formed (Willman). Although this vaccine was key to stopping the virus many people and cultures believed it was ethically wrong to vaccinate the human tissue that makes up what they believe to be our sacred bodies (Centers for Disease Control (CDC)). Smallpox can now only be found in the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Georgia, U.S.A and the VECTOR research facility in Russia (Hickey). Although some politicians fear that their might be other stocks of smallpox that could be used as a weapon. This is because the development of biological weapons during the Cold War by both the U.S.A and the CCCP, although they do not make them anymore some might have been smuggled by spies or defecting scientists (Hickey). When smallpox was at its prime during the 1700s to the 1800s it would wipe out entire tribes of villages in the Americas by giving the natives this outside virus that the Europeans had developed a natural resistance to. Natives would start to grow red spots all over their bodies and then drop dead after headaches, fevers, bleeding, cardiac arrest, and breathing problems that came from the virus (Mil Vax). When vaccinations were developed in the 20th century people thought they were miracles of medicine that could miraculously save people from death. In fear that another outbreak of smallpox could occur the World Health Organization started to work on developing a vaccine for the virus that they spread around the world and trapped it in one small village in the horn of Africa where they annihilated smallpox once and for all. The smallpox vaccine cost the world billions of dollars (U.S.) which shows just how much the world wanted to annihilate this deadly virus. Smallpox has political interests as well during the cold war when the U.S.A and the CCCP were in an arms race with one another the thought of making smallpox into a weapon seemed reasonable and key to winning. Both countries developed biological weapons and were trying to develop smallpox to be changed to an aerosol form or change it so that it could be placed in a missile (Hickey). A vaccine for smallpox would be a great advantage for mankind to get rid of the possibilities of weapons and the spread of disease. As with other vaccines society and cultural groups have thought that the use of the smallpox vaccine was immoral or unethical. Some cultures believe that the body is sacred and has been given to us by god if we vaccinate it we break the human tissue by adding a vaccine it
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    Angus John Sinclair-thompson

    9B

    26/09/12

    takes away that sacredness and disobeys god (Centers for Disease Control (CDC)). Society is also afraid of the side effects of the smallpox vaccine. Although the advantages of a vaccine out way the side effects some parents are afraid of them and call it immoral to use a vaccine on their children. The smallpox vaccine was given to young adolescent teenagers between the ages of 13 and 14. When providing a vaccine scientists and doctors have to use a weakened form of the disease that can cause illness on people with weaker natural immune systems. Some side effects include pain in the armpits, the arm may be sore and red, there may be a low fever, and 3 of 10 people may be sick enough to miss work for a few days (Deparment of Health). Survivors of smallpox are often scarred and are changed for life (Mil Vax). There is also a political fear in the United States that terrorists in the Middle East might have smuggled smallpox in an aerosol form and could use it against their soldiers positioned in that region (Jatin M. Vyas) (Mil Vax) where there have been many conflicts recently. Although this is largely based on conspiracy theories and is highly unlikely to have actually happened. There is still a great fear of smallpox and just last year the president of the United States of America (Barrack Obama) had issued a $433 million (US) drug to give to the soldiers of the USA, despite being thought of as unnecessary by others (Willman). To conclude I believe that the smallpox vaccine could only help humanity develop when there are so many problems in the world today one less virus can only help mankind. Smallpox has hindered humanity for centuries and it can only be a good thing to take it away from our society and leave it in the scientific facilities were it can be kept and researched on to help learn more about other viruses and not to use it as biological weapons for military circumstances. Whether or not the public and societies were willing to go along with the vaccine it was essential for world health and safety among societies no matter the cost. It is societys responsibility to comply with what is set forward by their governments and to keep a good healthy lifestyle to prevent the risk of diseases being spread. Society should keep an open mind and help scientists so that they may prevent illness from spreading. Word count 959.

    Angus John Sinclair-thompson

    9B

    26/09/12

    Bibliography
    Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Cultural Perspectives of Vaccinations. n.d. 20 09 2012. Deparment of Health. Smallpox Vaccination Side Effects. n.d. Website. 18 September 2012. Hickey, Tyler. SMALLPOX: THEN AND NOW. 2011. 20 September 2012. Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD,. Smallpox. 7 02 2007. 20 09 2012. Mil Vax. Small Pox Vaccination Program. 21 09 2012. Website. 12 09 20. Willman, David. Los Angeles Times. 13 November 2011. 20 September 2012. World Health Organization. Media Center. 2001. Web Site. 20 09 2012.

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