Viruses, Plagues, and History: Past, Present and Future
By Michael B. A. Oldstone M.D. (P.146)
“When introduced into isolated, relatively small communities, measles viruses attacked with disastrous consequences. Such infections of rural populations not previously exposed to childhood illnesses ran wild, especially during times of war and with the forced migration of people fleeing their enemies.”
“Two-thirds of soldiers who died in that war, 660,000 in all, were killed by uncontrolled infectious disease. Of these, over 67,000 members of the Union Army had measles, and more than 4,000 died”
“During this first year of the war, 21,676 cases of measles and 551 related deaths were reported in the Union Army alone. Deaths were primarily from respiratory and cerebral (brain) involvement. A written record indicates, “This infection is always serious, often fatal either directly or through its sequelae, The prognosis therefire should be guarded”.