Article
ID: CBB000900124

A Contagious Journey within a Culture of Complacency: The Smallpox Scare of 1962 in New York and Toronto (2007)

unapi
Medicine Public health Smallpox Immunology 20th century, late Toronto (Ontario) New York City (New York, U.S.)

In 1962 smallpox was perceived to be an ancient disease that was no longer a threat to public health in North America. This state of complacency was shattered, however, by the journey of a 14-year-old boy who entered the United States on a flight from Brazil and who then continued on into his native Canada. This trip led to an investigation and re-examination of immigration health procedures as well as a discovery of the general population's low level of smallpox immunity. The smallpox incursion was fought by the use of a thorough but troubling system of ring vaccination that left a good deal to pure luck. Many of the issues that grew out of this 1962 experience were subsequently resuscitated during the 21st century's fears concerning the use of biological weapons by potential terrorist groups.

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Authors & Contributors
Bhattacharya, Sanjoy
Antonio Reguera Teba
Short, Jon
Knight, Helen P.
Campani, Carlos Eduardo D’Avila Pereira
Bird, Greg
Journals
Bulletin of the History of Medicine
Medicina Historica
Science
Medical History
Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences
História, Ciências, Saúde---Manguinhos
Publishers
Cierre edizioni
University of California, Davis
State University of New York at Stony Brook
University of North Carolina Press
Rutgers University Press
Prometheus Books
Concepts
Public health
Smallpox
Medicine
Vaccines; vaccination
Disease and diseases
Immunology
People
Berenguer, Francisco Javier Balmis
Jenner, Edward
Time Periods
20th century, late
19th century
20th century, early
20th century
18th century
Meiji period (Japan, 1868-1910)
Places
New York City (New York, U.S.)
United States
Italy
Canada
India
Kunming (China)
Institutions
World Health Organization (WHO)
Connaught Laboratories (Canada)
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