Cord Byrd: “during the past few weeks, the American people have learned more than they thought they would ever want to know about…”

“during the past few weeks, the American people have learned more than they thought they would ever want to know about the ancient scourge of anthrax. From reading the morning newspaper, and watching the nightly news, we have learned much about what anthrax is, how it infects, the dangers it poses, and ways to treat it. But there was been very little attention given to the history of this dreaded and deadly disease that is on everyone's mind. From where did it come? What has been its impact on the world? Let me begin by pointing out that the disease derives its name from anthracis, the Latin transliteration of the Greek word for coal, and the name probably stems from the black scab-like crust that the anthrax lesion develops. But through the ages, anthrax has been called by a variety of names. In Russia, cutaneous anthrax--infection through the skin--has also been called ``Siberian ulcers'' because of the prevalence of the disease in that region. Inhalation anthrax has been called ``wool sorters'' disease because it comes most commonly from inhalation of spore-containing dust produced when animal hair or hides are handled. A colloquial German term for anthrax is ``ragpicker's disease.'' The exact origins of anthrax and the time of its arrival upon Earth are unknown. But, it is commonly accepted that anthrax has been killing animals, and humans too, for thousands of years, perhaps as much as 10,000 years, dating back to the beginnings of animal domestication.”