Sunday, May 14, 2006

 

This Day in Late Enlightenment History

On this day in 1796 Edward Jenner administered the first vaccine against small pox to 8 year old James Phipps. Vaccines are medical science at its best--teaching the body to kill off the virus with no further medical intervention needed. Within 2 centuries small pox was eradicated, largely because it apparently only exists in humans and there is no natural reservoir of it as there is with polio. Of course small pox still exists in frozen samples in American and Russian labs (and only there, we hope). The number of people killed or disfigured by small pox over the millennia of human existence is incalculable; but within a relatively short time it's gone based mainly on Jenner's insight. See, there is evidence of progress everywhere throughout history.

Does anyone at PETA argue that the small pox virus is equal to human life and we should not have eradicated it? Just curious.

# posted by Roger Fraley @ 9:31 AM
Comments:
Only if you could pet the virus would they thus argue.

You cant spell P.E.T.A without PET.
# posted by Blogger Praguetwin : 6:46 AM
 
While the "PET" argument is convincing on its face, it doesn't address the whole issue of motile/sessile bigotry inherent in militant vegetarianism. After all, why is a majestic cabbage less worthy of ethical treatment than a dirty, sneaking cat*?

And we all know the collusion that exists between those vegetable haters** and PETA.

Since you can pet a cabbage, it would seem that your thesis is at least incomplete.

8-)

* We _have_ a cat, so I'm qualified to characterize. The "majestic cabbage" part is admittedly more speculative.

** Hatred of vegetables would seem to be an inherent part of vegetarianism. Otherwise, why preferentially kill so many?
# posted by Blogger Doug Sundseth : 2:43 PM
 
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