Anthrax Vaccination Program Essays - Vaccines, Anthrax, Free Essays

Anthrax Vaccination Program Essays - Vaccines, Anthrax, Free Essays Anthrax Vaccination Program On May 18, 1998, Secretary of Defense William Cohen approved a plan to vaccinate all U.S. service members for anthrax. This plan has caused a fierce ethical debate over the legitimacy of this vaccination. The Department of Defense claims the vaccination is completely safe and has been in use for decades. Some doctors dispute this claim, and contend the vaccination may not be effective against weapon versions of anthrax. Many service members have refused the vaccination and have either separated or faced formal punishment for their decision. The Bioport Corporation of Lansing Michigan is the only company that produces the anthrax vaccine. According to a Phoenix Times article, the original Bioport plant had to be demolished due to quality control problems. A new plant was built, but it also failed FDA inspections in December of 1999. Subsequently, the process of administering the vaccination to all service members has been suspended. The vaccination is currently administered only to personnel deploying to high threat areas of the world. The Joint Staff has designated Korea, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Yemen, and Israel as high-threat areas. The immunization is administered in a series of six shots over an eighteen-month period, with annual boosters. The following analysis will contain a brief discussion about both sides of this issue. To understand why the Department of Defense feels it is essential to take such precautions, it is first necessary to have some understanding of what anthrax is. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia defines anthrax as a contagious disease of warm-blooded animals, including humans, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. There are three types of anthrax diseases. The first is cutaneous anthrax, which is caused by contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products. The second type is gastrointestinal anthrax, which is caused by ingestion of contaminated meat. The last type is inhalation anthrax, which is the type used in biological weapons. It is caused by the inhalation of anthrax spores and it is the most deadly type of the disease. One of the most effective defenses against inhaling the deadly spores is a properly worn gas mask. The DOD fears that by the time an attack is detected, it will be too late to don protective clothing. Theory suggests that immunization may be the o nly chance of surviving an attack. With so many biological weapons in production, one may wonder why bother with a vaccination that is only going to protect personnel against one type of weapon. The DOD feels that anthrax spores are the top choice in biological weapons for germ warfare. They say it is one of the most effective biological weapons because it is almost always deadly if not treated early. In addition, it is relatively simple to manufacture in large quantities with only a basic knowledge of biology. The spores can be stored for long periods with no deterioration, and it can be delivered easily using missiles, rockets, artillery, bombs or sprayers. Once the weapon has been dispersed, there are virtually no indications of exposure. The vapor is odorless, colorless, taste-free and leaves no cloud. DOD claims there is no effective treatment once exposure has occurred. They suggest antibiotics will suppress infection, but only if they are administered within 48 hours of exposure. They also claim unprotected ind ividuals have a 99% chance of death after exposure. The Secretary of Defense has stated that it would be derelict l to send troops into one of the high threat areas without this vaccination. Other senior officers have frequently used the analogy It would be like sending troops into harms way without a helmet or flack vest. This theory brings up a question about whether the vaccination is safe and effective. DODs point of view suggests the vaccine is safe and will work. Their anthrax web site uses the reasoning that we already receive vaccines to protect against typhoid, yellow fever and many other diseases, so it makes sense to protect ourselves against this killing disease which can be used as a weapon. The vaccine was developed for human use in the 1960s and approved by the FDA in 1970. DOD states that it has been routinely administered to

USS Nebraska (BB-14) in the Great White Fleet

USS Nebraska (BB-14) in the Great White Fleet USS Nebraska (BB-14) - Overview: Nation: United States Type: Battleship Shipyard: Moran Brothers, Seattle, WA Laid Down: July 4, 1902 Launched: October 7, 1904 Commissioned: July 1, 1907 Fate: Sold for Scrap, 1923 USS Nebraska (BB-14) - Specifications: Displacement: 16,094 tons Length: 441 ft., 3 in. Beam: 76 ft., 2 in. Draft: 25 ft., 10 in. Propulsion: 12 Ãâ€" Babcock boilers, 2 Ãâ€" triple-expansion engines, 2 Ãâ€" propellers Speed: 19 knots Complement: 1,108 men Armament: 4 Ãâ€" 12 in./40 cal guns8 Ãâ€" 8 in./45 cal guns12 Ãâ€" 6-inch guns11 Ãâ€" 3-inch guns24 Ãâ€" 1 pdr guns4 Ãâ€" 0.30 in. machine guns4 Ãâ€" 21 in. torpedo tubes USS Nebraska (BB-13) - Design Construction: Laid down in 1901 and 1902, the five battleships of the Virginia-class were meant as successors to the Maine-class (USS Maine, USS Missouri, and USS Ohio) which was then entering service. Though conceived as the US Navys latest design, the new battleships saw a return to some features that had not been employed since the earlier Kearsarge-class (USS Kearsarge and USS ). These included the use of 8-in. guns as a secondary armament and the locating of two 8-in. turrets on top of the vessels 12-in. turrets. Supplementing the Virginia-class main battery of four 12 in. guns were eight 8-in., twelve 6-in., twelve 3-in., and twenty-four 1-pdr guns. In a shift from previous classes of battleships, the new design utilized Krupp armor instead of the Harvey armor that had been placed on earlier vessels. Propulsion for the Virginia-class came from twelve Babcock boilers which powered two vertical inverted triple expansion reciprocating steam engines. The second ship of the class, USS Nebraska (BB-14) was laid down at Moran Brothers in Seattle, WA on July 4, 1902. Work on the hull moved forward over the next two years and on October 7, 1904, it slid down the ways with Mary N. Mickey, daughter of Nebraska Governor John H. Mickey, serving as sponsor. Another two and a half years passed before construction on Nebraska ended. Commissioned on July 1, 1907, Captain Reginald F. Nicholson took command. The next several months saw the new battleship conduct its shakedown cruise and trials on the West Coast. Completing these, it re-entered the yard for repairs and modifications before resuming operations in the Pacific. USS Nebraska (BB-14) - Great White Fleet: In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt became increasingly concerned about the US Navys lack of power in the Pacific due to the growing threat posed by Japan. To impress upon the Japanese that the United States could move its battle fleet to the Pacific with ease, he began planning a world cruise of the nations battleships. Designated the Great White Fleet, the Atlantic Fleets battleships steamed from Hampton Roads on December 16, 1907. The fleet then moved south making visits in Brazil before passing through the Straits of Magellan. Steering north, the fleet, led by Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, arrived at San Francisco on May 6. While there, a decision was made to detach USS (BB-8) and Maine due to their abnormally high coal consumption. In their place, USS (BB-9) and Nebraska were assigned to the fleet, now led by Rear Admiral Charles Sperry. Assigned to the fleets Second Division, First Squadron, this group also contained Nebraskas sister ships USS Georgia (BB-15), USS (BB-16), and USS (BB-17). Departing the West Coast, the battleship and it consorts transited the Pacific to Hawaii before reaching New Zealand and Australia in August. After taking part in festive port calls, the fleet steered north for the Philippines, Japan, and China. Finishing visits in these countries, the American battleships crossed the Indian Ocean before passing through the Suez Canal and entering the Mediterranean. Here the fleet split to make visits in several nations. Moving west, Nebraska called at Messina and Naples before rejoining the fleet at Gibraltar. Crossing the Atlantic, the battleship arrived at Hampton Roads on February 22, 1909, where it was greeted by Roosevelt. Having completed its world cruise, Nebraska underwent brief repairs and had a cage foremast installed before rejoining the Atlantic Fleet. USS Nebraska (BB-14) - Later Service: Attending Fulton-Hudson Celebration in New York later in 1909, Nebraska entered the yard the following spring and received a second cage mast aft. Resuming active duty, the battleship took part in the Louisiana Centennial in 1912. As tensions increased with Mexico, Nebraska moved to aid American operations in that area. In 1914, it supported the US occupation of Veracruz. Performing well in this mission during 1914 and 1916, Nebraska was awarded the Mexican Service Medal. Obsolete by modern standards, the battleship returned to the United States and was placed in reserve. With the countrys entrance into World War I in April 1917, Nebraska returned to active duty. At Boston when hostilities commenced, Nebraska joined the 3rd Division, Battleship Force, Atlantic Fleet. For the next year, the battleship operated along the East Coast training armed guard crews for merchant vessels and conducting maneuvers. On May 16, 1918, Nebraska embarked the body Carlos DePena, the late ambassador of Uruguay, for transport home. After arriving in Montevideo on June 10, the ambassadors body was transferred to the Uruguayan government. Returning home, Nebraska reached Hampton Roads on July and began preparing to serve as a convoy escort. On September 17, the battleship departed to escort its first convoy across the Atlantic. It completed two similar missions before the wars end in November. Refitting in December, Nebraska was converted into a temporary troopship to assist in bringing American soldiers back from Europe. Conducting four voyages to and from Brest, France, the battleship transported 4,540 men home. Completing this duty in June 1919, Nebraska departed for service with the Pacific Fleet. It operated along the West Coast for the next year until being decommissioned on July 2, 1920. Placed in reserve, Nebraska was rendered incapable of war service following the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty. In late 1923, the aging battleship was sold for scrap. Selected Sources DANFS: USS Nebraska (BB-14)NHHC: USS Nebraska (BB-14)NavSource: USS Nebraska (BB-14)