Post by Guest on Jul 26, 2011 14:15:57 GMT -5
Apologies, but in thread about the "Moscow Downing Virus", it states that "milking maidens were actually more resistant to the disease that others, due to immunities in cows."
This, however, is only partially true. The reason milk maidens seemed to be more resistant to smallpox was their previous exposure to a disease called 'cowpox' (which presented as sores on the udder of infected cow, which milk maids naturally touched) which is similar to smallpox but quite a bit less serious. Once a person survived cowpox, their immune system knew what to do with the very similar smallpox- significantly lowering the mortality rate in that group.
So, it was a less serious but very similar animal disease that offered the resistance, not that animal's immunity to the disease.
Feel free to delete this, I just thought I should let you guys know :3
This, however, is only partially true. The reason milk maidens seemed to be more resistant to smallpox was their previous exposure to a disease called 'cowpox' (which presented as sores on the udder of infected cow, which milk maids naturally touched) which is similar to smallpox but quite a bit less serious. Once a person survived cowpox, their immune system knew what to do with the very similar smallpox- significantly lowering the mortality rate in that group.
So, it was a less serious but very similar animal disease that offered the resistance, not that animal's immunity to the disease.
Feel free to delete this, I just thought I should let you guys know :3