How does Barry characterize scientific research?
Barry characterizes science as a quest against the unknown, whereby those who are a part of the scientific community must constantly accommodate and reconcile with uncertainty. In order to express this idea, Barry utilizes rhetorical strategies like conceit and parallelism to elaborate on his ideas.
Why does Barry begin with a universal truth and delay referring to scientists until paragraph 2?
1. Why does Barry begin with a universal truth and delay referring to scientists until Paragraph 2? By defining polar opposites, the universal truth intensifies the revelation of the paradox in the second paragraphthat scientists thrive on uncertainty.
What is the purpose of the Great Influenza by John Barry?
Abstract: “The Great Influenza” recounts what humanity witnessed and experienced during the 1918 influenza pandemic. Author John M. Barry also describes the remarkable transformation of U.S. medical education just prior to 1918.
Where did the Spanish flu start?
While it’s unlikely that the “Spanish Flu” originated in Spain, scientists are still unsure of its source. France, China and Britain have all been suggested as the potential birthplace of the virus, as has the United States, where the first known case was reported at a military base in Kansas on Ma.
How long did the Spanish flu last?
While the global pandemic lasted for two years, a significant number of deaths were packed into three especially cruel months in the fall of 1918. Historians now believe that the fatal severity of the Spanish flu’s “second wave” was caused by a mutated virus spread by wartime troop movements.
What is Spanish flu caused by?
It was caused by an H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. Although there is not universal consensus regarding where the virus originated, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919. In the United States, it was first identified in military personnel in spring 1918.
Was there a cure for the Spanish flu?
Fighting the Spanish Flu When the 1918 flu hit, doctors and scientists were unsure what caused it or how to treat it. Unlike today, there were no effective vaccines or antivirals, drugs that treat the flu. (The first licensed flu vaccine appeared in America in the 1940s.
Is there a vaccine for the Spanish Flu?
There were no vaccines for the Spanish flu and there are currently no vaccines for COVID-19.
Could influenza virus be used a biological weapon?
Taken together with the fact that influenza virus is readily accessible and may be causing more deaths than previously suspected, the possibility for genetic engineering and aerosol transmission suggests an enormous potential for bioterrorism.
What is the deadliest biological weapon?
Bacillus anthracis bacteria, which causes anthrax, is one of the most deadly agents to be used as a biological weapon. It is classified by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a Category A agent, posing a significant risk to national security.
Which country has biological weapons?
Only 16 countries plus Taiwan have had or are currently suspected of having biological weapons programs: Canada, China, Cuba, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Libya, North Korea, Russia, South Africa, Syria, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Who first used biological warfare?
With the work of Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) and Robert Koch (1843-1910) and the subsequent development of microbiology in the late 19th century, it was finally possible to isolate, produce and weaponized biological agents. Germany may be credited with opening of the modern biological warfare program during World War I.
Is Ebola virus a biological weapon?
The virus is already so capable of spreading from person to person via contact with bodily fluids that in its natural state it could do some serious damage. “Ebola is a very lethal pathogenic virus,” says virologist Robert Garry of Tulane University. “It’s basically weaponizing itself.”
When was the last bioterrorist attack?
Another potential agent of bioterrorism is smallpox, which, unlike anthrax, can spread from person to person. Smallpox is no longer a disease of concern in the natural world — because concerted vaccination efforts stamped it out — and the last naturally spread case occurred in 1977.
What are the four types of biological agents?
Biological agents include bacteria, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms and their associated toxins. They have the ability to adversely affect human health in a variety of ways, ranging from relatively mild, allergic reactions to serious medical conditions—even death.
How do biological agents affect human health?
Biological agents include viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, and they can cause health problems either directly or through exposure to related allergens or toxins. Work-related exposure to biological agents may be associated with several health problems, including infectious diseases, cancer and allergies.
How can biological agents stay safe?
Most of the time, basic personal hygiene measures and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) provides sufficient protection against biological agents. Risk assessment will concentrate on identifying the hazards, assessing the risks and then controlling those risks.
