Home
Pox
An American History
Book Summary
Chronicles the lesser-known history of how America's Progressive Era war on smallpox sparked one of the 20th century's leading civil liberties battles, describing the views and tactics of anti-vaccine advocates who feared an increasingly large government.
This book is about:
- Disease Outbreaks,
- Epidemics,
- Epidemiology,
- Smallpox,
- 20th century,
- 19th century,
- History,
- United States
NPR stories about Pox
Health
How The 'Pox' Epidemic Changed Vaccination Rules
April 5, 2011 During the 1898-1904 pox epidemic, public health officials and policemen forced thousands of Americans to be vaccinated against their will. Historian Michael Willrich examines that epidemic's far-reaching implications for individual civil liberties in Pox: An American History.
Comments
Please keep your community civil. All comments must follow the NPR.org Community rules and terms of use. See also the Community FAQ.
NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its website or in any medium now known or unknown the e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit them for clarity or brevity and identify authors by name and location. For additional information, please consult our Terms of Use.