Smallpox can be used as a biological weapon: https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4500434-smallpox-is-still-a-threat-to-america-40-years-after-its-eradication/...

Coos Bay Tom Loc: coos bay oregon

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4500434-smallpox-is-still-a-threat-to-america-40-years-after-its-eradication/

RascalRiley Loc: Somewhere south of Detroit

Coos Bay Tom wrote:

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4500434-smallpox-is-still-a-threat-to-america-40-years-after-its-eradication/

Small pox has history as a biological weapon.

Native were given smallpox infected blankets which wiped entire tribes and spread quickly.

BIRDMAN

RascalRiley wrote:

Small pox has history as a biological weapon.

Native were given smallpox infected blankets which wiped entire tribes and spread quickly.

And the Japanese used it on the Chinese

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

Coos Bay Tom wrote:

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4500434-smallpox-is-still-a-threat-to-america-40-years-after-its-eradication/

This is an instance where the older population, looking at you, will be safer because of your inoculations in your youth.

RascalRiley Loc: Somewhere south of Detroit

BIRDMAN wrote:

And the Japanese used it on the Chinese

There are probably lots of examples.

BIRDMAN

RascalRiley wrote:

There are probably lots of examples.

Probably

Coos Bay Tom Loc: coos bay oregon

AuntiE wrote:

This is an instance where the older population, looking at you, will be safer because of your inoculations in your youth.

Whew --

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

Coos Bay Tom wrote:

Whew --

Speaking of youth illnesses, mumps. To this day, I have no idea which side I had them on. Any time I have an issue in a throat gland I wonder if it is mumps. I know that is weird; however, it is known I have a weird gene that gets loose.

Coos Bay Tom Loc: coos bay oregon

AuntiE wrote:

Speaking of youth illnesses, mumps. To this day, I have no idea which side I had them on. Any time I have an issue in a throat gland I wonder if it is mumps. I know that is weird; however, it is known I have a weird gene that gets loose.

I had the mumps but strangely I never had chicken pox even though all of my siblings did . I really wanted them too and could never get them .

RascalRiley Loc: Somewhere south of Detroit

Coos Bay Tom wrote:

I had the mumps but strangely I never had chicken pox even though all of my siblings did . I really wanted them too and could never get them .

I think l had mumps on both side but I have never give mumps a thought until AuntiE’s post.

And I don’t know if I got the measles or the measles v*****e. And now measles are spreading.

I remember having the chicken pox so I must have got extra attention.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

RascalRiley wrote:

I think l had mumps on both side but I have never give mumps a thought until AuntiE’s post.

And I don’t know if I got the measles or the measles v*****e. And now measles are spreading.

I remember having the chicken pox so I must have got extra attention.

I remember measles, because I had to stay in a darkened room. My maternal grandmother would come sit with me while crocheting.

Story on my mother. She, a nurse no less, could not remember. Nary a single adult in our multi generational household could. Old school test for mumps is eat a banana. If it tastes yucky, you may have mumps. To this day, I use that standard. I know. Who gets mumps anymore; however, supposedly, they are/were very serious for adults. Now, some may not consider me an adult, due to various weirdness; however, I am.

RascalRiley Loc: Somewhere south of Detroit

AuntiE wrote:

I remember measles, because I had to stay in a dar... (show quote)

My wife remembers having to spend a summer in a dark room about grade one age.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

RascalRiley wrote:

My wife remembers having to spend a summer in a dark room about grade one age.

I think the dark room thing still applies. I once knew why; however, cannot remember.

LostAggie66 Loc: Corpus Christi, TX (Shire of Seawinds)

Coos Bay Tom wrote:

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4500434-smallpox-is-still-a-threat-to-america-40-years-after-its-eradication/

I Believe it has been used as a bioweapon for 100's of years...Going back to blankets given to Indians in the 1700 and 1800s. It could again become a bioweapon even after it's modern eradication especially if a strain is resistant to the v*****e.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

LostAggie66 wrote:

I Believe it has been used as a bioweapon for 100's of years...Going back to blankets given to Indians in the 1700 and 1800s. It could again become a bioweapon even after it's modern eradication especially if a strain is resistant to the v*****e.

The other issue may be v*****e availability. As it has been eradicated, a sufficient supply may no longer be available. Pharmaceutical companies are not going to expend resources on production of a v*****e not needed in significant amounts.