History of Bioterrorism: Anthrax

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Audio

Opening Credits:
“The History of Bioterrorism”

“Anthrax”

Joanne Cono, MD, SciM
National Center for Infectious Diseases

The idea of using disease as a weapon gained a new level of sophistication in the early 1930s as nationally funded research programs on biological warfare were developed. 

Fade in Japanese footage.  Cono voiceover.

The Japanese had a very active offensive bio-warfare research program which included a battalion known as 731.  In their program the Japanese conducted experiments on humans using 15-20 different disease causing agents, with anthrax being one of their favorites.  Allied prisoners of war and innocent Manchurian civilians in nearby villages provided an almost endless supply of experimental subjects.  When word of unit 731 leaked to the West, allied forces began their own programs,

Cono in Studio

concerned that Japan and possibly Germany would gain a military advantage in bio-warfare research.

Footage of British experiments with British narrator

On the third day after exposure the casualties begin, dead sheep can be seen further down the line.  It is of course necessary to confirm that they died of anthrax.

Continue British footage, Cono voiceover

In 1942 on Gruinard Island off the coast of Scotland the British conducted their first scientifically controlled biowarfare field trials.  Scientists exploded anthrax bombs near mobilized sheep to determine if the spores would survive an explosion and retain the ability to infect anyone nearby.  Test results showed that anthrax could in fact be effectively disbursed by explosive devices and could also remain viable in the soil for decades. 

Cono in Studio

This brought home the realization that if an anthrax bomb were dropped on a city like London, the results could have been catastrophic. 

British footage, Cono voiceover

Gruinard Island was declared off limits until it was decontaminated in the 1980s. 

Cono in Studio

It’s now safe for both humans and animals.

US Footage, Cono voiceover

Like our allies, the United States responded to the perceived threats from Germany and Japan.  In 1943 we began an offensive biological program with a modest research and development facility at Camp Dietrich which is now Ft. Dietrich, Maryland.  By the end of the program, we had weaponized a total of seven incapacitating or lethal human agents including anthrax. 

Cono in Studio

In 1969 Richard Nixon renounced the use of biological weapons for the United States.

Clip of Nixon

I have decided that the United States of America will renounce the use of any form of deadly biological weapons that either kill or incapacitate.

Clip of Nixon, Voiceover of William C. Patrick III

President Nixon visited Ft. Dietrich on the 25th of November, 1969. 

Clip of William C. Patrick III

I remember that day quite well because following his announcement of taking munitions and beating them to plowshares, we all lost our job, and that was a very traumatic experience.  Following his presidential announcement on this date, the entire United States offensive program on biological warfare came to a close within two years.  We destroyed all of our seed stocks, we destroyed all of our production material at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and we completely got out of the biological warfare business. 

Cono in Studio

Even at its peak the U.S. offensive program paled compared to the Soviet Union’s. 

Soviet footage, Cono voiceover

The Soviets had a massive, extensive, sophisticated, top secret program which employed tens of thousands of scientists and engineers in numerous research and production facilities.  The Soviets signed the Biological Warfare Convention in the 1970s and yet their program continued uninterrupted and in fact intensified. 

Cono in Studio

Our worst fears were confirmed in 1979 when an

Picture of news article, Cono voiceover

accidental release of anthrax occurred at a biological research facility in the town of Sverdlovsk. 

Footage of Alibeck, Cono voiceover

Much of our most recent knowledge about their joint military and civilian program comes from a Soviet defector, Dr. Ken Alibek, formerly known as Dr. Kanatjian Alibekov.  He was the Deputy Director of Biopreparat, a cover organization for their civilian bio-weapon and production facilities. 

Cono in Studio

Although we had suspected for years that they had continued their offensive program, some of the information he provided was a real wake up call for the United States.

Saddam Hussein footage, Cono voiceover

Prior to the Gulf War, the intelligence community suspected that the Iraqi’s had done research on anthrax, but they didn’t know just how extensive their program was.  So as a precautionary measure during the War, about 150,000 U.S. service members were vaccinated against anthrax,

Cono in Studio

and more would have been immunized if the War hadn’t ended so quickly.  After the War, the Iraqis admitted to producing and weaponizing anthrax, although the weapons were never used. 

Aum Shinrikyo footage, Cono voiceover

This past decade anthrax moved from being an agent of concern for biological warfare to the top of the threat list for terrorism.  The Aum Supreme Truth cult in Japan, which released the nerve agent, sarin, from the Tokyo subway in 1995 allegedly made multiple unsuccessful attempts to infect people with anthrax. 

Cono in Studio

In October of 2001, the United States experienced anthrax attacks using powder sent through the United States Postal Service.  ## people got sick and ## people died from this attack.  We learned just how dangerous anthrax could be.

But there are things we can do.  As with any emergency, knowledge and preparation are key.

Image of “Ready.Gov” web page

The web page Ready dot Gov is a good resource for preparedness information.  It can be found at

www.ready.gov

W-w-w dot ready dot g-o-v.