31. The Last Smallpox Outbreaks in Soviet Russia

Smallpox is a horrific disease, we know that. With its high mortality rate, permanent disfigurement, and endemic status in just about every country up to the 20th century, it is no wonder the disease was the first on the list to be eliminated globally. And central to that effort from the very start was Russia, from the Empire into the Soviet Union. We’ll explore the history of smallpox from Catherine The Great’s early attempt at inoculation against the deadly disease, to the USSR’s work in eliminating smallpox, how they managed foreign outbreaks, and the status of smallpox in Russia today. This is the story of a Tsarina who took a risk, an unprecedented cooperative effort between Cold War enemies, and the last notable outbreaks of smallpox in the Soviet Union. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RdaabF8F9M0DO2jIZQ7nc6nNhaNgnJaYUT8CmPd5PXI/edit?usp=sharing