Historically, smallpox was one of the most feared diseases in the ancient world. After an extensive and successful eradication program, the World Health Organization (WHO) certified the global eradication of smallpox infection in 1980. There has not been a single reported case of smallpox infection in over 20 years. However, smallpox was once a deadly disease with the power to decimate populations. Successful efforts to prevent the spread of smallpox through vaccination changed the course of Western medicine and indeed, the history of smallpox is a fascinating testament to the effect of health and disease on the development of modern civilization. Today it is difficult to imagine the devastating effects of the disease on the human population. In 1981, smallpox was removed from the WHO list of diseases covered under the International Health...