Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, derived from varius ("spotted") or varus ("pimple"). The disease was originally known in English as the "pox" or "red plague"; the term "smallpox" was first used in Britain in the 15th century to distinguish variola from the "great pox" (syphilis). The last naturally occurring case of smallpox (Variola minor) was diagnosed on 26 October 1977.
Infection with smallpox is focused in small blood vessels of the skin and in the mouth and throat before disseminating. In the skin it results in a characteristic maculopapular rash and, later, raised fluid-filled blisters. V. major produced a more serious disease and had an overall mortality rate of 30–35 percent. V. minor caused a milder form of disease (also known as alastrim, cottonpox, milkpox, whitepox, and Cuban itch) which killed about 1 percent of its victims. Long-term complications of V. major infection included characteristic scars, commonly on the face, which occur in 65–85 percent of survivors.Blindness resulting from corneal ulceration and scarring, and limb deformities due to arthritis and osteomyelitis were less common complications, seen in about 2–5 percent of cases.
Smallpox 2002
Smallpox 2002: Silent Weapon is a fictional docudrama produced by Wall to Wall, showing how a single act of bioterrorism leads to terrifying consequences globally.
Background
The premise of it was one man who, in 2002, creates the smallpox virus himself, infects himself, and touches ten people in New York City. This eventually leads to a pandemic across the world that is later defeated, but not before 60 million people are killed.
The film was commissioned before the September 11 attacks and is presented in the form of a fictional documentary, including false interviews and stock footage. The tagline for the movie was, "Drama, until it happens".
Reception
Newspaper reviews of the documentary were mixed, varying from "a sick stunt" to "extraordinarily good". The docudrama proved very popular with viewers, attracting 3.4m viewers, 15% of the audience, to a 9pm slot on BBC2 according to overnight returns.
Notes
References
Podcasts:
Smallpox
ALBUMS
- Mighty Worms Strike, Volume 2 released:
Mighty Worms Strike, Volume 2
- No Pants Message
- Dark Shareolders of Pain
- Moonshine Hicks
- Hard'n'Roll Madness
- The (Silent) Cathodic Chaos
- Satisfy Me
- Have You Ever Touched Dead Skin?
- One Day
- My Girl
- Twentieth Girl
- Hold Up on 103 XT
- My Place
- Release My Pain
- I Hate My Boss
- Eat the Dust and Die
- Tripwire
- Golf 1979
- You Left Me
- The Simple Life
- Fashion and Action
- Kannibal Eater
- Orientale
- Hangover
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