Throughout all of history, smallpox has been a greatly feared disease, responsible for huge epidemics worldwide. This disease is strictly an infection of human beings, animals and insects could be infected by smallpox, nor carry the virus in any form. Most infections were caused by contact with a person who had already developed the characteristic skin lesions of the disease, however could also be contracted by contaminated air droplets. Upon contraction, the victim would not show signs of infection for approximately 14 days after the initial infection. After this incubation period, symptoms appeared abruptly and included fever and chills, muscle aches, and a flat reddish purple rash on the chest, abdomen, and back. These symptoms lasted about 3 days and then subsided

A poem written by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu who lived from 1689-1762 illustrates the savageness of the disease, and how if deflates the confidence of the victim by leaving them severely permanently scarred. Then with what pleasure I this face survey'd ? Smallpox brought about an intense feeling of depression amongst its victims. Knowing that either death or severe disfiguration was the only outcomes did not give the sick much to look forward too. Lady Mary Wortley wrote extensively in her poem about the disfiguration or her body and how she couldn't go into public with the scars all over her face. She was ashamed of herself at a time when most people would be worried about living. She wraps up her insightful poem by biding her world adieu, knowing that her end was approaching.

Although they weren't hit as hard, colonists suffered from the smallpox, too. Boston alone had to withstand six major smallpox epidemics between 1636 and 1698. The worst epidemic yet hit Boston in the late spring of 1721. Two infected sailors on a ship brought it to the city from the West Indies. This time the epidemic was fought with a very new, revolutionary idea, inoculation. The public denounced this practice as dangerous and many believed that it interfered with God's will. In the spring of 1722, the epidemic came to an end, and it was proven that those that had been inoculated, or given a small dose of the disease that is easy for the body to kill and thus building up antibodies against, greatly improved the chances of survival in Boston residents. With its successful use in Boston, inoculation was introduced to Philadelphia, New York City, and Charleston, South Carolina, during the 1730's. It was openly accepted in these cities unlike it was in Boston. People from all over the colonies traveled to these places to receive the treatment. Inoculation was very beneficial to those that could afford it. This basically ruled out Indians from being inoculated, settlers often plotted to spread disease among them.

Smallpox did not stop at the borders of the Aztec Empire. In less than 10 years smallpox reached the Inca Empire located along the western coast of South America. The epidemic devastated the Incas, who suffered as severely as the Aztecs had just years ago. Smallpox claimed the life of the emperor, and much of his immediate family also perished in the epidemic. Soon after the emperor's death, the Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro invaded the Inca Empire. The Incas were weakened by the smallpox, but they were also no match for the Spanish weapons. Guns, artillery, and horses were new to the Incas, and helped the conquerors defeat them. The Incas did not have a chance to or

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1823
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)