Post: #1

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/174500...-at-87.htm

Quote:American epidemiologist Donald Ainslie Henderson — leader of the international campaign against smallpox in the 1980s — has passed away at age 87.

D.A. will forever be known for his work as a "disease detective," which led to the eradication of smallpox more than 30 years ago. This achievement was the only such vanquishment of a human disease in history, consequently saving millions of lives.

Henderson had spent years as an official of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) before joining the Johns Hopkins University's School of Public Health. He served as the dean.

He also became a bioterrorism and science adviser under three presidential administrations in the United States. But it was Henderson's "war" against smallpox that changed the world.

Smallpox is considered as one of the most lethal diseases in history, killing about 300 million people in the 20th century alone. Smallpox is caused by the variola virus and can afflict fever and flulike symptoms to infected patients before they develop a rash of the pustules.

Although the smallpox has not wreaked havoc since the 1980s, scientists from the United States and Russia seem to keep stockpiles of the disease. Heavily secured facilities in Siberia and Atlanta hold officially sanctioned stores of the virus.

Years ago, Henderson argued that these samples should be destroyed because he believed that any amount of smallpox was too dangerous to keep.

Preston says that since no one has been exposed to the virus, most of the population would be vulnerable in case of an outbreak.

Henderson said in 2002 that he felt dispirited because the world was regressing to defend against something that was thought to be completely defeated.

"We shouldn't have to be doing this," he had said.

I just read about this man today, I did not know him and I'm sure many others also don't know him. But we know many other people that add no value to the world. Like the Kardashians or crazy SJWs. Of course you can argue we would have less problems with over population but its insane how some people are "famous" by nothing then shit. In my mind always runs this quote. When you can't do anything good for the world, at least don't create more harm.