Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ian · 13th May 2005, 08:58 PM

We are starting to stray off topic, but I do feel obliged to comment on the lengthy quote posted by Spunjer.

Public health and sanitation is one of my fields of expertise.

Cholera outbreaks are common, even now, wherever sanitation is compromised. Also, lengthy periods have often occurred between outbreaks of cholera in a particular place. Quarantining people during cholera outbreaks was common practice in the early 20th C. We did not understand the transmission of the disease, or its treatment, as well then as we do today.

I'm not saying the US Adminsitration was blameless in its handling of affairs in Davao, but there really needs to be more convincing evidence that this episode involved the deliberate use of infectious agents before labeling it an example of biological (germ) warfare. As Bill notes, cholera would have been a very unlikely "warfare agent" for the US to have used in 1908.

Ian.

13th May 2005, 08:58 PM	#31
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,031	Cholera Outbreak -- OT We are starting to stray off topic, but I do feel obliged to comment on the lengthy quote posted by Spunjer. Public health and sanitation is one of my fields of expertise. Cholera outbreaks are common, even now, wherever sanitation is compromised. Also, lengthy periods have often occurred between outbreaks of cholera in a particular place. Quarantining people during cholera outbreaks was common practice in the early 20th C. We did not understand the transmission of the disease, or its treatment, as well then as we do today. I'm not saying the US Adminsitration was blameless in its handling of affairs in Davao, but there really needs to be more convincing evidence that this episode involved the deliberate use of infectious agents before labeling it an example of biological (germ) warfare. As Bill notes, cholera would have been a very unlikely "warfare agent" for the US to have used in 1908. Ian.