Folks kind of know that smallpox was a problem, but a lot of folks don't have any personal reference for it nor have any real reference for how deadly it was. T

Folks kind of know that smallpox was a problem, but a lot of folks don't have any personal reference for it nor have any real reference for how deadly it was. The US stopped routine vaccinations for it in 1972, after all, and they cheered when they declared it eradicated in 1980. Multiple generations have been born since then. A few folks born after it was eradicated are grandparents now. Honestly, syphilis has a similar story and it is still around: Sure, there is some shame around it, much like other STDs, but we can cure it. And wow, it is a horrible disease, eating away at folks.