The Effects Of Biological Weapons On The

The Effects Of Biological Weapons On The Past And Presents Society Essay, Research Paper Thesis: Biological Warfare is morally and inhumanely wrong, It is the wrongful killing of men, women, and children. It should be stopped no matter what the circumstances are. I.Introduction into the bad effects of biological warfare through some examples. a.Example of single affect of biological warfare b.Example of a country using Biological Warfare II.Definition of Biological Warfare a.Biological Warfare Agents i.Micro-Organisms ii.Toxins b.History of biological warfare i.Definition ii.Affects it has on people III.Reasons why biological warfare should be stopped. a.Biological weapons are inhumane. b.Impossible to control or predict its effect. c.Pollutes the environment d.Genetic

Mutation IV.Countries that still produce biological weapons V.Biological and Toxins Convention VI.Conclusion The Effects of Biological Weapons on the Past and Presents Society In 1978, a popular writer and Bulgarian exile by the name of Georgi Markov was going on his way to work in the British Broadcasting Corporation, which is better known as BBC, where he broadcasted to his homeland from a station named Radio Free Europe. While he was walking he felt a sudden sharp pain in his leg. When he turned around he observed a man picking up an umbrella. The man apologized for what he had done and kept on walking. Georgi Markov became sick that night and died a couple of days later. The autopsy that was conducted on the body uncovered a small pellet that had a coat of ricin on it, which

is a biological poison (Mayer, p 4). Throughout the early 1900?s, Great Britain was developing a biological weapon program. It all started because Great Britain was afraid that Germany and Japan had a great advantage in biological technology in comparison to them. They were testing to see the range of spread of the anthrax spores. Great Britain tested its weapons on the coast of the Island of Gruinard in Scotland were they thought it was far enough from they coast so it would not contaminate or hurt the mainland. In the year of 1943 throughout many experiments that were conducted it was proven that sheep and cattle were affected with anthrax. The British government thought of decontaminating the island that that meant that they had to brushfire they entire island to kill all of

the organisms. However, the anthrax spores embedded themselves inside the soil so the decontamination of the island is impossible. It is also stated that as long as the ground is not disturbed, the people are safe (Jones, p 1). Both the Georgi Markov and the Gruinard Island cases are examples of the consequences of biological warfare. In each, the results were disastrous. For this reason, biological weapons are considered the most lethal and potentially horrific of any in worldwide arsenals. There are two categories of biological warfare agents. The first is a group of microorganisms, living organic germs such as anthrax. The second category of biological warfare agents includes Toxins, the by products of living organism or natural poisons, such as botulism. These are the two

warfare agents that are most commonly used but in addition there are also a large number of natural and man made agents that people have developed throughout history (Encarta 99). Biological Warfare is usually thought of by as a twentieth century development, but in fact it was developed and used as early as 1346 (Mayer, p2). In a military definition, biological warfare is the intentional use of diseases to affect an adversary?s military force, population, crops, or livestock. A terrorist?s biological strategy could target those same objectives, depending on the purpose of the terrorists. Biological weapons are not easily controlled and once released little can stop their spread. Some conspiracy theorists believe that AIDS is an example of such disease warfare, though there is no