Small Pox

[rosebudsaponi]

Anyone have any idea regarding the immunities of Small Pox in the African slave lines verses the Indian slave lines? Since NDN's had no defense against this disease and it pretty much wiped us clean, what about the Africans? While reading through my FPC registers, noticing alot of small pox scars as well as holes in ears.

Any help?

[Linda]

What I've heard is that the Europeans were never as successful at colonizing and overrunning Africa as they were the Americas because they don't have enough immunities to handle the diseases there.

From that I would infer that Africans take the #1 spot when it comes to immunities. (By that logic, it's probably pretty handy to have some in your family tree. Glad my kids do. ;) ;) )

[rosebudsaponi]

so, by that then, we can begin to understand a little better the registers and their descriptions. Not to say by any means that if they have small pox scars they are indeed NDN but it is a way to possibly measure and count.

I'm still hooked on the holes in the ears theory.

THANK GOD we have that immunity to a degree. Especially in this day and time. :)

[Linda]

I don't think that being immune necessarily means you won't get it, just that you won't die from it. Like some pacific islanders died from measles. It was a plague for them. For us it's just a childhood disease because we have immunities.

So, anybody could have smallpox scars I think. The fact that they lived on to have scars may be an indicator that they weren't Indian. Perhaps it was rare to see Indians with smallpox scars, since they rarely outlived it. Just my guess.

[Patty]

This whole small pox vaccine thing is very frightening to me. I don't know what I'll do if there are mandatory vaccinations.

I'm a DES daughter. My mother was given a drug called diethylstilbestrol or DES during her pregnancy with me. I have a set of health problems that are common among DES exposed children.

I have no faith that the small pox vaccine is either necessary, or safe enough to use.

[Linda]

Sorry to hear about your health problem, Patty. I've heard about DES babies.

As for smallpox vaccimes, I have four kids. What I understand about the numbers is, the chances are one in ten that you die if you get smallpox. The chances you'll have a bad reaction to the vaccination are 5 in one million. With the present administration I have little confidence we won't have more run ins with terrorists. If I can vaccinate my kids, I likely will.

[Patty]

It would be a really tough decision for me, so it's a good thing I don't have kids. On the other hand, I don't want to be forced to take one myself.

[catchersmitt]

Smallpox was wiped out years ago however, a small sample remained for research in the U.S. (Atlanta, GA) and in Moscow.
The strain going around now came from the batch that was stored in Moscow.

The smallpox vaccination was discontinued in 1972 in the U.S. Because of that, nearly 50% of the U.S. population are not protected from the virus.

The vaccine is not a weakened or inactive form of smallpox. The vaccine itself is made up of vaccinia which is similar to the smallpox virus but not the spallpox virus itself. Injection of vaccinia allows your body to produce antibodies to fight off infection, but it won't guarentee you to be immune. I mean, think of it this way, you got to get another shot in 10 years anyway, so basically, it is just like a flu shot in a way.

Would I get one - yes, I have confidence in our health care system. I think the vast majoirty of our health care personal really do care about their patients and I trust the F.D.A. so, yeah, I would get it.

The problem with health care today is not our healthcare personal. If you really want to know where all the problems are, see your insurance company!

- catchersmitt (just a nursing student)

[Grace Newton]

I've got a scar on my upper left arm from being vaccinated 57 years ago. I had boosters in 1961 and 1968 because we were stationed in Okinawa and traveled to several countries in the Far East. The first vaccination was nasty - I clearly remember the constant chant of "stop scratching", "watch out - you'll knock off your scab", "I know it hurts, just try to ignore it", "be careful, roll up your sleeve so it doesn't hit the sore" and on and on. The boosters didn't even itch. I think the immunity lasts far longer than advertised.

If I remember correctly, the vaccine is live cowpox virus. It's a related disease and catching it gives immunity to small pox. I remember a tale that the reason a beautiful complection is called a milkmaid's skin is the lasses who milked the cows in the British Isles caught cowpox. which usually was confined to thier hands. This gave them immunity to smallpox and spared them the horrible facial scars so many survivors of smallpox were cursed with.

I agree that Little Junie Bush is not to be trusted but I honestly doubt the administration could pollute the entire USA medical corps. I also doubt there's a real chance of smallpox being used as a biological weapon - it's too chancy.