The story of smallpox blankets offered as gifts to indigenous peoples as a weapon of war is ubiquitous -- but is it based in truth? And did our increased medical understanding of smallpox lead to its use as a biological weapon? In this episode, we confront these questions and explore the history of biological warfare, smallpox, and medicine. Listen to all this, a new #AdamAnswers, and more in this episode of Bedside Rounds, a tiny podcast about fascinating stories in clinical medicine.
Sources:
- Barras V and Groub G, "History of biological warfare and bioterrorism," Clin Microbiol Infect 2014.
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- Fenner F et al, "Smallpox and its Eradication," World Health Organization, 1988, Chapters 5 and 6.
- Mayor A, "The Nessus Shirt in the New World: Smallpox Blankets in History and Legend," J Am Folklore, Vol. 108, No. 427 (Winter, 1995), 54-77.
- Mear C, "The origin of the smallpox outbreak in Sydney in 1789," Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society, June, 2008.
- Skwarecki B, "What is the scariest disease?" PLoS Blogs, retrieved at https://gizmodo.com/what-is-the-scariest-disease-1653943826
- Theves C, et al, "The rediscovery of smallpox," Clin Microbiol Infect 2014; 20: 210-218.
- Ranlet P, "The British, the Indians, and Smallpox: What actually happened at Fort Pitt in 1763?", Pennsylvania history: 427-442.
- Warren C, "Smallpox at Sydney Cove -- who, when, why?" J Aust Studies, 30 Oct 2013
