How Is Smallpox Used As A Weapon?

Biological Weapons: Smallpox Used as a Weapon?
Joshua Walker
SCHOOL

Biological Weapons: Smallpox Used as a Weapon?
In the last decade, members of various governmental anti-terrorism agencies and the department of homeland security in the United States have discussed the significant possibility that the Smallpox virus will reemerge as an act of bioterrorism by enemies of the United States. Major concern of this virus initially developed after the terrorist attacks employed on September 11, 2002. The following essay provides a concise lineage of historical accounts concerning the use of the Smallpox virus as an agent of warfare and an analysis of whether or not this virus should be considered a central
Because of this, the following essay will reveal the entire history of Smallpox—not solely the accounts of times when it was used as a weapon.
It has been argued by many scholars that Smallpox first emerged as a terminal virus as far back as the 10th century (Bray, 1996). R.S. Bray (1996) is amongst the group of scholars who discern that Smallpox materialized in the Middle East during 900-1000 A.D. Bray justifies his contention by arguing that the scars found on ancient mummies (a palpable symptom of this disease) provide substantial evidence that a strand of the Smallpox virus affected people who lived in and around Egypt during this time period. During the 16th century, Native Americans (specifically tribes living in the western part of America) contrived the Smallpox disease, most likely stemming from European explorers who were affected (Bray, 1996). Two centuries later, a Smallpox epidemic in the Massachusetts area infected over 6,000 people and killed one in seven Bostonians (Byerly, 2002). There are other non-military related accounts of the spread of smallpox throughout the world; however, one of the first uses of smallpox as a weapon was in the United States. Timothy Bungum (2003)
After many successful vaccines were discovered and utilized, the concern for deaths caused by the smallpox virus significantly decreased (Fenn, 2001). After massive immunizations were administered, the United States proclaimed in 1980 that the smallpox virus was eliminated in America (Fenn, 2001). With vaccines to the smallpox being successful, one might wonder why the military and agencies of the government are concerned about Smallpox being used as a weapon. The answer is best explained by Timothy Bungum:
The vaccine, however, does carry rare but serious risks. It is estimated that 15 of every million vaccinated for the first time would face life-threatening complications, and one or two would die. Severe reactions are less common among those who were previously vaccinated. Typical reactions include a sore arm, fever, and swollen glands. The most frequent severe reaction occurs when the vaccine escapes the inoculation site, often because the person vaccinated intentionally touched the site and then touched either themselves or someone else. This “secondary vaccinia” can cause blindness if it spreads to the eyes. (p.