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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2001

"The British had already shown their willingness to unleash the [smallpox] disease in deliberately murderous fashion. A book by a British officer advised troops, 'Dip arrows in matter of smallpox and twang them at the American rebels, in order to inoculate them; this would sooner disband these stubborn, ignorant, enthusiastic savages than any other compulsive measures.'

And a British trader wrote about Ottawa Indians in 1763: 'Out of our regard to them, we gave them two Blankets and a Handkerchief out of the Small Pox Hospital. I hope it will have the desired effect.'"

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Book Review: When a Killer Disease Held a Continent in Fear (The New York Times 11/1)
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Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82 (Amazon.Com US$7.50)