Across the United States, children learn of the tales of George Washington and his ragtag army of farmers, shopkeepers, shipbuilders, tradesman, (and more) in their history classes. Their brains are saturated with the stories of the Delaware River crossing and the Continental Congress’s Declaration of Independence. The inoculation of the Continental army from the disease of smallpox at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78 was the first successful mass inoculation in military history. It proved to be a contribution to not only the American cause of independence, but to all of mankind, and marked the beginning of the end of the disease that ravaged humanity for centuries.
It is no secret that medical advancement has made major strides over the last century. Indeed, when examining how individuals live their lives on a daily basis today in comparison to years prior, it is unsurprising to state that thousands of people even on the poorest levels of society enjoy better qualities of life than even the most affluent did centuries ago. Despite this, challenges remain. One disease that has been eradicated is Polio. In a recent report, a man who lived in an Iron Lung, one of the last people to likely have to every endure such circumstances, passed away.
It appears that physical illness is not the only thing threatening humanity, as mental illness has also been on the rise in recent years. In a recent development, a horrifying discovery was made when a horse was located in Texas in an alarming state. On Thursday, November 23rd, the animal was located tied up, bound, and shot through the head in the town of Hempstead, about 50 miles northwest of Houston. The horse was left on the side of the road. In this shocking case of animal abuse and cruelty, the Waller County sheriff’s office remains unable to identify potential culprits and is seeking any possible witnesses to the gruesome deed.
