Thinking Ahead: Should Smallpox Become Reality, What Do We Do?

[ChemistCat]

There is a sizeable, cautious, but not hysterical contingent on FR that believes we may have been exposed to smallpox at some time in the last week. It's not something we know is happening. It's something we think is a reasonable scenario in light of other events. I'm starting this thread as a place to discuss what preparations our nation and communities do NOT seem to be making, and what our personal plans of action are if this CONTAGIOUS bioattack vector eclipses anthrax.

[dwhite]

Someone please tell me if the scar I have on my arm means my vaccination "took".....and if I still have SOME immunity.

What I mean to ask is does the scar represent anything other than the fact that I was vaccinated?

What about others who were vaccinted and have no scar?

Serious request to anyone who has knowledge on these things.

GRITS lady.

[Jack Barbara]

I would really like to see the nation's colleges and high schools developing plans for distance/home-based education of students if this particular emergency develops.

I am reminded of a study my father showed me some years ago. Back in the 60's, the Minneapolis or Saint Paul school districts went on strike for a whole year. A significant body of students missed a whole year of school. The study was done to determine the "damage to learning" done by missing a year of public education. When the comparisson was done between the students who attended school and the students who missed a year, it was determined that the students who missed a year had no measurable losses.

[ChemistCat]

That doesn't really surprise me very much. The school day and the school year are both too long. Although it is known that children learn better if they have more play time, more art, and more music, the school day is structured to start early (before teenagers, especially, are really physiologically awake) and to last until mid-afternoon. Recess has been taken away from many elementary schools; even teenagers don't get the breaks their brains need in between bouts of sustained concentration and learning. Foreign language is taught in the later grades, after the developing brain's "window" for effective language learning has long closed (somewhere around age 12.)

The nine-months-in-three-months-out schedule might as well have been designed for maximum boredom followed by maximum regression. Kids tend to be packed together by age group rather than by ability, forcing brighter kids in each subject to accomodate the pace tolerated by the duller children, who get resentful in their turn and often turn away from academics when perhaps it was nothing more than a simple matter of different maturity, not different ability, holding them back. We could get into how the NEA protects incompetent teachers and bad textbooks, but you know all that.

By twelth grade, many students have learned little more than how to brownnose and simulate a good performance. They've learned next to nothing about life's challenges or what college will demand of them. And they don't know their own limitations and strengths--because they've never had to confront their limitations (might cause self-esteem problems) nor have they had their strengths challenged. It's a wonder, in fact, that public schooling produces anyone capable of becoming educated.

It will be interesting, if the worst happens, to see how families rise to the challenge of being thrown back on their own resources.

[blackbart1]

We are planning the same thing and luckily we have a doctor and his family who will be holeing up with us. Not to panic just prepared.

[TrueTex]

Newbie here and first post, so I hope this post works. I just checked with "Whois" regarding the blackpox.org website that appears to be in the making, and IMO it isn't a CDC or government website. Here are a couple of the domain server names:

SPEAKEASY.EARTHLINK.NET 207.69.188.200
HEARSAY.EARTHLINK.NET 207.69.188.201
RUMOR.EARTHLINK.NET 207.69.188.202
Registrant:
Matthew McMillan (BLACKPOX3-DOM)
PO Box 80782
Atlanta, GA 30366
Domain Name: BLACKPOX.ORG

[Jack Barbara]

Leadership fears the American Public more than they fear the enemy. Rest assured they would never allow our children to escape the socialization process -- the primary purpose of public education.

[John Jorsett]

There are close to 200 replies now, so perhaps someone else has noted this (I'm not going to read all 200 just to find out): smallpox becomes communicable only when the person is so ill that in almost all cases the person is already bedridden, too ill to walk. Secondary infections are virtualy always to caregivers like hospital personnel or family members. Also, the vaccine can be given even after symptoms begin to manifest themselves. Authorities will act quickly to isolate and treat those with symptoms, and any outbreak will not be widespread. You can see a great model for this in how outbreaks of Ebola are handled. They're quickly isolated and the transferrence does not go far. And Ebola isn't treatable and there is no vaccine, which is not the case for smallpox. Holing up in one's house is not a rational response, in my opinon. In an outbreak, you'll be offered vaccine, and you'd be better off taking it and then going about your business.

[texasbluebell]

The book on Valley Forge sounds interesting. I'll look for a copy. When I read your excerpt, I realized that Dr. O'Fallon sounded familiar from my work in genealogy.

This is James O'Fallon, who was a real-life person, born in 1749 in Athlone, County Roscommon, Ireland, who emigrated in 1774. James crossed the Atlantic and was shipwrecked off the coast, shortly before the colonies revolted in 1774. He made his way to Wilmington, North Carolina and in 1776 found himself jailed, as he was considered dangerous to the patriotic cause. During the Revolutionary War, James served as a senior surgeon in Washington's army in 1779.

I'm wondering if this isn't an actual fact then, the vaccination of the soldiers. You mentioned you weren't certain if it actually happened, but I'm thinking it's probably based on historical fact. I did some searching last night, and while I couldn't locate any mention of James O'Fallon vaccinating the troops, I located some interesting other sidelights, which came to light recently on one of the genealogy lists I'm on.

James O'Fallon went on to Louisville, Kentucky, and married Frances ("Fanny") Eleanor Clark, the sister of "the 'Father of the West', George Rogers Clark (1752-1818) & William Clark (1770-1838) of the 'Corps of Discovery', both of whom played a major role in clearing the way for European settlement of the northern half of the middle west."

James's son John O'Fallon, born in 1791 in Louisville KY, eventually became an important man in St. Louis, where he wound up. He became quite wealthy and donated medical buildings to St. Louis University and an engineering building to Washington University.

Dr. James O'Fallon, the surgeon and the father of John, died sometime before 1795 in Kentucky, though it sounds like the details are not certain.

Information found at James O'Fallon

and also in "The St. Louis Irish: An Unmatched Celtic Community", by William Barnby Faherty (SJ) Sr.; 2001.

[John Jorsett]

Did you ever think about that little circular scar on your left or right arm, or the one on your butt if your parents were really vain?

Check it out with either your local doc or vet, depending upon whom you parents favoured.

Why so nasty? Having a bad day? Just for your info, vaccinations for smallpox ended in the '70s and all of that immunity has worn off. Scar or not, you'll contract smallpox if exposed.

[CathyRyan]

Till I read your post I had not thought of it but...Is not something in the Koran about not associating with non-Moslems? They may be thinking in terms of the quote "good Moslems" do not associate with infidels therefore they will not get smallpox and if they do associate with infidels then they deserve what they get. I know there are flaws in this argument but we are dealing with people who are not quite sane.

[I'm ALL Right!]

I have heard of garlic and Oil of Oregano used as antibiotics, but I know nothing about the actual method needed to be effective. Do you take it daily? If so, how much? Do you wait for an infection and then take it? Same question again, how much, how often? Any useful links you could provide?

[joathome]

"Among the things that I found out there, was that Smallpox only has about a 30% mortality rate."

Only 30% doesn't sound so great to me. Statistically, that means among my husband, four kids and myself, two of us would die. Not a nice thought. :(

[ChemistCat]

"Authorities will act quickly to isolate and treat those with symptoms, and any outbreak will not be widespread. You can see a great model for this in how outbreaks of Ebola are handled. They're quickly isolated and the transferrence does not go far. "

This works FINE for natural outbreaks of disease in not-so-mobile societies. A society like ours with an extremely mobile population has never before been hit with a DELIBERATE and INFECTIOUS bioagent. Anthrax and Ebola simply are not comparable models, anthrax because while it was deliberately introduced into our society it is not contagious, and ebola because it has never been introduced into a culture with interstates and dozens of busy airports.

You are more optimistic than I am both about how a bioattack may be launched and how our government can distribute smallpox vaccine. They have a lot of agents here. Anthrax, in my opinion, has never been a serious attack--it was just a test of American resolve ("will they nuke us if we use bioagents? maybe not if we do it incrementally.")

[joathome]

"This is a very good point. We thought inhaled anthrax had a 90% fatality rate, but so far we've seen a better rate of survival."

That's attributable to the fact that these patients have been put on state of the art antibiotics AND respirators, from what I understand. In a true anthrax emergency, how many of those respirators do you think are just lying around?

[TLBSHOW]

Good first post!

[calljack]

Hug a muslem.

[NetSurfer]

It's the same registrant as the original site www.blackpox.com

Registrant:

Matthew McMillan (BLACKPOX-DOM)
PO Box 80782
Atlanta, GA 30366
Domain Name: BLACKPOX.COM

Thread from a few days ago: FR thread.

The original site (.com, not .org) was taken down, freepers have explained in various threads, with different explanations, as to why it may not be available for viewing.

[joathome]

"Influenza can spread so easily because we congregate, we go to work sick, we don't treat it very seriously."

True. And just picture all those folks going to work who already have the "flu" symptoms of smallpox. Some of them will just be becoming contageous. :(

[ChemistCat]

I'm noticing something scary here. Everyone who is arguing that smallpox isn't a threat, that we're stupid to be even discussing the subject, is arguing without basis in fact. They're making assumptions about the quantity of vaccine available, for instance, that simply are not borne out by data provided by the government. I would sure like it if those who dismiss the threat could use reason to dismiss it. None of them are--they are chiefly using ridicule.

[joathome]

am reminded of a study my father showed me some years ago. "Back in the 60's, the Minneapolis or Saint Paul school districts went on strike for a whole year. A significant body of students missed a whole year of school. The study was done to determine the "damage to learning" done by missing a year of public education. When the comparisson was done between the students who attended school and the students who missed a year, it was determined that the students who missed a year had no measurable losses."

I'm sure this is true. When we began homeschooling our older two, the second one skipped sixth grade. Never could figure out what she supposedly missed. :)

Younger children just learning basic skills would have a problem, and so would high school students who would be expected to take courses like chemistry, calculus, etc.

A year to the rest of the student population is NOT a problem.