[extropy-chat] Are vaccinations useless?

[MB]

> On 3/14/06, "Hal Finney" <hal at finney.org> wrote:
>>
>> One of the other sources I found at the library was a health economics
>> textbook that Robin recommended on his web page for his students: The
>> Economics of Health and Health Care, by Folland, Goodman, and Stano.
>> This has a nice overview of the areas of consensus and controversy
>> regarding the causes of the dramatic decline in mortality over the past
>> 250 years.
>
>
> Good article, thanks! Not very specific about actual causes, but it would
> seem consistent with the idea that things like hygiene, sanitation and
> quarantine account for the largest part of the improvement (with improved
> nutrition helping, but not enough to account for the bulk).
>

Fascinating! Thanks. :) All these new ideas, delightful stuff. Makes sense
too! :)

Questions in my mind... earlier in this discussion the issue of Quarantine
was raised. I remember hearing of it in my youth, and I think I recall its
being put into use in our neighborhood (for what??? measles/rubella? I was
very young). And someone said/suggested that SARS was effectively stopped
by quarantine.

I've heard from various considerably older folks some bitter comments
about the spread of AIDS and the lack of quarantine... that when they were
young quarantine's what would have happened, but oh no, we can't do that
now, it might offend those who are ill. (All said with considerable venom,
much to my astonishment.) Also I think of TB sans: my area is full of huge
old buildings that were originally for that purpose. These pretty
effectively quarantined TB patients.

Does anywone think quarantine might/would have made a difference in the
spread of HIV or AIDS (either or both, I don't know)?  For sure,
quarantine is a public health measure.

Regards,
MB