This Day in History April 23, 1984

I remember this well--maybe not the exact date, but this was a big deal when I was in school.  On this in 1984, Margaret Heckler, President Reagan's secretary of health and human services, announced the discovery of AIDS.  I am so glad that science has come so far in treating this horrible disease, but I remember the scare and misconceptions concerning this disease.

For more info:
http://famousdaily.com/history/scientists-find-aids-virus.html

This Day in History October 26, 1977

By Photo Credit: Content Providers(s): CDC/ Fred Murphy [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Bet you can't figure out what this picture depicts. This is something as of now that is eradicated.  On this date in 1977, the last case of smallpox was reported.  This horrible disease is a thing of the past (at least for now).  The last case was reported in a remote area of Somalia, and as far as we know, that was it.  Let's hope it stays that way because as we know, diseases can come back.  But for now, smallpox is a thing of the past, and that is a great scientific achievement for this world of ours!

For more information, please check out:

http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/blaw/bt/smallpox/mmwr46(42)990.htm

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/bt/smallpox/news/annivers.html

http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/exhibits/healthandhealing/topic/28/

http://famousdaily.com/history/last-natural-cause-of-smallpox-discovered.html