Bacterial Warfare: A Critical Analysis of the Available Agents, Their Possible Military Applications, and the Means for Protection Against Them

Bacterial Warfare: A Critical Analysis of the Available Agents, Their Possible Military Applications, and the Means for Protection Against Them

Description of transmission routes/pathways for grouping infectious diseases broadly (food- and water-borne, contact, air-borne, vector-borne, endogenous). Criteria for selection of infective agents that pose biological warfare risk. Rules out a list of agents and provides reasons. Then proceeds to provide risk assessment of more than 40 agents/groups of agents.

1947

"The data presented in this report strongly suggest that bacterial warfare is feasible. Actual demonstration of its practicability is lacking, but there seems little doubt that among the agents whose properties are discussed, some are capable of accomplishing certain limited military objectives if they are used judiciously and with due recognition of their characteristics. The need for intensive study of this subject needs no other substantiation. This report is intended as a contribution toward such intensive study." Written in 1942, declassified in 1947.