

Dr. J. Donald Millar, 81, Dies; Led CDC Mission That Helped Eradicate Smallpox - danso
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/04/health/dr-j-donald-millar-who-led-cdc-mission-that-helped-eradicate-smallpox-dies-at-81.html

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cottonseed
> From 1880 to 1980, it killed a half-billion people worldwide.

And it caused 1/3 of all blindness. Eradicating smallpox is one of the
greatest human achievements in protecting human life and health. I wish it was
more celebrated and its significance more well-known. Smallpox Eradication Day
should be a national holiday. Humans, by human hands, killed only HALF as many
people as smallpox in the 20th century (that includes WWI, WWII, Russian
purges, Great Leap Forward, etc.) Edward Jenner, who developed the smallpox
vaccine, Donald Millar and the others who lead the eradication fight are truly
among humanity's greatest heroes.

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david-given
I suppose the fact that smallpox has been so utterly forgotten merely
highlights what a triumph the eradication was, but yeah, I agree with
everything you said. Eradication of smallpox is the greatest achievement of
the modern age.

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idlewords
Next up to be eradicated: guinea worm. That program may be Jimmy Carter's
greatest contribution to the world:

[http://www.cartercenter.org/health/guinea_worm/index.html](http://www.cartercenter.org/health/guinea_worm/index.html)

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danielharan
I have this dream that we could throw a huge party that day.

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idlewords
With gummi worms!

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mgkimsal
I was certainly at the tail end of smallpox vaccinations in the US (1972). Had
a big scar on my upper left arm well in to my 30s. Reading up, they were
stopped in 1972 altogether, and from what my mom told me, it was optional at
that point, but the doctor she saw was a fairly older and more conservative
chap who had a "better safe than sorry" attitude, so vaccinated I became.

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sanoli
Interesting article about an little-known man who was a key figure in this
great achievement.

[http://boingboing.net/2015/07/30/the-best-person-who-ever-
li...](http://boingboing.net/2015/07/30/the-best-person-who-ever-lived.html)

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lordnacho
IIRC smallpox was a major cause of the original inhabitants of the Americas
being almost destroyed entirely.

How are we doing with other old diseases? Any chance we'll be rid of polio,
malaria, etc?

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logn
Bill Gates is hoping for Polio to be eradicated by 2020 and Malaria within
20-30 years. Also, there's an HIV "vaccine" of sorts but requires taking a
pill every day for life (the last I read).

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agumonkey
Related (sic) talk by Larry, aptly named, Brilliant:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNhiHf84P9c](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNhiHf84P9c)

