I Love Learning

I remember the first time I saw an iron lung. It was at a museum, tucked away in a corner, its metal frame gleaming under the soft lights. I had read about them in history books, but seeing one in person was different. It was a stark reminder of a time when polio was a looming threat, and the iron lung was a lifeline for many. Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a viral disease that primarily affects children under five. While most infections are mild or asymptomatic, in some cases, the virus can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis. The severity of the disease depends on which part of the nervous system is affected. The Path of the Virus Polio enters the body through the mouth, often from contaminated water or food. It multiplies in the throat and intestines before entering the bloodstream. In rare instances, the virus can invade the central nervous system, leading to inflammation of the spinal cord and brain stem. This can result in paralysis, particularly in the limbs and respir...

Smallpox , a deadly disease that has plagued humanity for thousands of years, has a history that extends into pre-history.  Genetic evidence suggests that the smallpox virus emerged 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. The earliest physical evidence of smallpox is found in the Egyptian mummies of people who died some 3,000 years ago. The Scourge of Smallpox Smallpox had a major impact on world history.  Indigenous populations of regions where smallpox was non-native, such as the Americas and Australia , were rapidly and greatly reduced by smallpox during periods of initial foreign contact. During the 18th century , the disease killed an estimated 400,000 Europeans each year, including five reigning monarchs, and was responsible for a third of all blindness. Between 20 and 60% of all those infected—and over 80% of infected children—died from the disease. During the 20th century, it is estimated that smallpox was responsible for 300–500 million deaths . The Battle...