OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, more than two dozen of the world’s most esteemed microbiologists—all of whom were focused on combating bioterrorism—have died under questionable circumstances.

One was stabbed with a sword, another run over by a car, while a third was bashed over the head until dead. A scientist was found with repeated stab wounds to the chest; another was shoved under a chair (naked from the waist down); one perished in a nitrogen-filled airlock; another was carjacked, with his keys still in the ignition and a full tank of gas.

None of these men died of natural causes. Their murders were deliberate, and it’s sending a clear message to virus experts, immunologists, entomologists, and those researching bio-weaponry: your lives are in grave danger.

The fact of the matter is, we – when it comes to pandemics, we are overdue, and we're underprepared. And it's necessary that we speak with candor about it and that we move with dispatch to prepare.

Pandemics are a biologic fact of life. They're part of the microbial world of viruses and bacteria and microbes that are constantly mutating, constantly adapting. They are aggressors, constantly seeking more fruitful hosts.

Originally posted by robertnesta
i posted this in the last thread about bio-terrorism because i think it is very important
so ill post it again here

www.americanfreepress.net...

Smallpox poses an unusually serious threat; in part, because virtually everyone is now susceptible, vaccination having stopped worldwide 20 or more years ago as a result of the eradication of the disease.

Because of waning immunity, it is probable that no more than 20% of the population is protected. Among the unprotected, case fatality rates after infection with smallpox are 30%. There is no treatment. Virus, in aerosol form, can survive for 24 hours or more and is highly infectious even at low dosages

An outbreak in which as few as 100 people were infected would quickly tax the resources of any community. There would be both actual cases and people with a fever and rash for whom the diagnosis was uncertain. In all, 200 or more patients would probably have to be treated in the first wave of cases. Most of the patients would be extremely ill with severe aching pains and high fever and would normally be hospitalized.

Hospitalization poses problems, however. Because of the risk of widespread transmission of the virus, patients would have to be confined to rooms under negative pressure that were equipped with special filters to prevent the escape of the virus. Hospitals have few rooms so ventilated; there would, for example, probably be less than 100 in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

A vaccination program would have to be undertaken rapidly to protect as many as possible of those who had been in contact with the patients. Vaccination given within 3 to 4 days after exposure can protect most people against a fatal outcome and may prevent the disease entirely. It is unlikely, however, that smallpox would be diagnosed early enough and vaccination programs launched rapidly enough to prevent infection of many of the people exposed during the first wave.

Few physicians have ever seen smallpox and few, if any, have ever received training in its diagnosis. Moreover, mounting a vaccination campaign requires time unless there has been advance planning, and no city has yet done such planning. The human immunodeficiency virus epidemic and the more general issue of vaccine complications among immunosuppressed populations introduce added complexity to decision-making regarding smallpox vaccination administration.

A second wave of cases would be almost inevitable. From experiences with smallpox imported into Europe over the past 40 years, it is estimated that there would be at least 10 secondary cases for every case in the first wave or 1000 cases in all, appearing some 14 days after the first wave. Vaccination would initially be needed for health workers, essential service personnel, and contacts of patients at home and at work.

With mounting numbers of cases, contacts, and involved areas, mass vaccination would soon be the only practical approach. That would not be possible, however, because present vaccine supplies are too limited, there being approximately 5 to 7 million doses currently available.

To put this number in perspective, in New York City in 1947, 6 million people were vaccinated over approximately 1 week in response to a total of eight cases of smallpox. Moreover, there are no longer any manufacturers of smallpox vaccine. Best estimates indicate that substantial additional supplies could not be ensured sooner than 36 months from the initial outbreak.

FOCUS@HEALTH; Ancient smallpox described as killer of kings, commoners

What is smallpox? SMALLPOX and bio-terrorism. The theme for this week's column.

What is smallpox?

Smallpox (from the Latin words "varius" meaning "stained" or "varus"
meaning "mark on the skin" or "raised bumps") is a very contagious,
sometimes fatal, viral infection, that has claimed millions and millions of
lives in the various pandemics around the globe since around 10,000 BC,
when it first appeared in agricultural settlements in northeastern Africa.
Smallpox has been one of mankind's greatest scourges ever.

If you're like most people, you currently have no plan regarding a smallpox outbreak or a bioterrorism incident other than to follow the herd and do what the government and medical authorities tell you to do if something terrible happens.

Then, in January of 2005, Bob Dorgin of the Los Angeles Times reported of a smallpox exercise:

WASHINGTON — At 9:03 a.m., a TV broadcast reported an outbreak of smallpox in four European countries, and a terrorist group tied to Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for spreading one of history's most dreaded diseases.

By midafternoon, as the president of the United States and leaders of major Western nations struggled to contain a cascade of horrors, authorities confirmed 3,320 smallpox cases across the globe. They warned of 660,000 potential victims, major political upheavals and a collapsing world economy in the weeks ahead.

That was the fake but terrifying scenario played out in a darkened hotel ballroom here Friday by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and 11 senior European diplomats and politicians. For seven hours, they grappled with a grim tabletop exercise that fused fact and fiction to help educate government officials about the growing threat of bioterrorism

The largely ineffective response of the "leaders," who huddled at a U-shaped table before 150 invited observers from the U.S. and foreign governments, exposed some of the likely problems real leaders would face in a bioterrorism assault.

Note: This is a PDF file that you must download and print. At this time I do NOT sell printed copies. WebTVers can NOT purchase this file because WebTV will not read PDF files.

In this Special Bioterrorism Report, I share unconventional information from 19th and early 20th century doctors and healers who successfully helped people survive smallpox, plague, and other dangerously contagious diseases while many of those receiving conventional medical care at home and in hospitals were dropping like flies.