Audio Excerpt

Here’s a piece of history for you! We are now passing just North of Mortlach, Saskatchewan. This town was established way back when Saskatchewan was created in 1905! Pretty incredible that this village has lasted so long, especially considering that in 1907, Mortlach was hit hard by the deadly smallpox outbreak that quickly spread across North America. A building here in Mortlach was actually designated as an isolation hospital for those who contracted the disease. Isolation hospital, ugh just the name gives me shivers! Pretty scary stuff isn’t it!? Well, thankfully Smallpox has been eradicated since 1977, buuuut there are two laboratories that still hold vials of the disease. 

 

Any idea where these Smallpox holding labs are? Are they in, 

 

A) Argentina and the United Kingdom 

B) the Moon and Mars or

C) the United States and Russia?

 

The answer is C, the United States and Russia. The laboratories are reference laboratories sponsored by the World Health Organization. The stocks have been repeatedly scheduled for destruction since 1986, as many experts say they are no longer necessary! By the way, uhh does anyone have any hand-sanitizer?