The threads about the WHO's (World Health Orginization) preoccupation with smoking got me thinking. So I pose a question to the smartest people I know; my board buddies!

Anyone know of any disease being cured, wiped out completely, no longer a threat, or whatever on this planet?

I mean gone. No longer exists on the planet?

I'll do some research of my own as well.

It just twists me up that something like smoking is that big of an issue. Aren't there bigger problems/diseases/viruses/bacteria out there?

For example herpes has an entire family of stuff it can get you with. And dysentary and diarhea continue to ravage the third world. Where's the vaccine for that?

We have stores with ailses and ailses of stuff to take for a cold. Even stores that specialize in these rememdies. (CVS, RiteAid, Walgreens, etc.).

Just bouncing that off everyone. All coments welcome.
Yes, even the ones that prove me wrong.

Moose I Though Polio at first,But I do believe I'm wrong on that great question Moose real though pervoking.

I think Polio has been wiped out, but there are always rare exceptions and there is a recurrence of Polio symptoms for some who have had it.

I honestly do not think that Ciggy smoking is the direct cause of any disease, but probably does aggrivate and speed up any illness. Of course, doing or ingestinging anything to excess can and does cause disease.

I have smoked a pack (give or take) a day for over 40 years and have had no ill effects, at all. On the other hand, My Mother smoked for over 40 yrs and had mild emphizema and died at 78 of lung cancer. However, my DIL, who never smoked a Cig in her life, died at 36 of lung cancer.

Thanks MR for bringing this up.

Survivor is starting

This is is good thread, would love to join this chat tomorrow!

Night!

Thank you Sally. And I'm sorry for your losses.
They do bring up another interesting thought though.

Our individual physiology.

What I may be immune to, can make some else sick as a dog. And vice versa.
Maybe that's part of the problem.

I was reading up on my original thread subject months ago. Just hitting different sites and trying to piece it together. My understanding is the bubonic plauge/Blach Death that ripped through Asia and Europe in the Middle Ages is still out there. Treatable if caught early, death if not. And I know from reading my ex's text books that viruses show signs of both being 'dead' and 'alive' at the same time, and are very resilient and opportunistic.

OK. Gotta take a break. Moose used too many big words all at once.

Smallpox.

It's no longer out in the "wild" (running rampant thru the world) The only bit of known smallpox virus, I think, is stored somewhere in the U.S, in Utah, I think, and somewhere in Russia.

So far, smallpox is the only disease to have been eradicated from the planet by humans.

They kept those samples just in case it did reappear again so they could re-vaccinate people. (my aunt is the one who does the smallpox vaccinations for her hospital. She had to get the vaccine in 2003)

i think there were some isolated reports of people getting mild cases of smallpox from someone who's been newly vaccinated, but other than that, it's essentially gone.

Polio is still around. But, they're getting closer to eradicating it like they did with smallpox.

What about Beubonic Plague?

Alright, I only thought that one up 'cos Erin beat me to Smallpox.

Edit :

I just Googled Beubonic Plague, and it's not extinct......... Rats!

Y Pestis (Yersinia Pestis aka the bubonic plague) is still around, yes...and yes, rats do carry it.

One of my favorite tv shows used it as a plot device a few years ago. (NCIS, they gave it to Tony DiNozzo, in the episode just before they killed off Caitlin Todd)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080115/...ague_threat_dc

Here's the plague article you may be thinking of

I believe that unless there is a real cure, then there is no true understanding to what truly causes a disease. There may be trigger factors...but like we've all seen....some smokers get ill, others do not. Isn't air pollution a bigger factor? Why does one person get MS, and the other does not....

While I'm at it...I'm really upset with one of the most recent tv campaigns and the guy mentions lesions on his deceased wifes brain...Hello! I have brain lesions!!! It freaks me out ALL the time!!!