small pox Burma overview--

AI Overview In 1904, Burma (now Myanmar) was under British colonial rule and experienced, as it did throughout the early 20th century, endemic, and often epidemic, cases of smallpox (variola major) alongside other diseases like the plague.

Based on historical context from the period around 1904:

Context of Infection: Smallpox was a recurring, highly contagious, and deadly virus. In early 20th-century Asia,, it frequently caused high mortality, particularly among children.

Colonial Response: Vaccination campaigns were in place but often "underinvested and piecemeal" before the First World War. While the British colonial government tried to implement Western biomedical practices (vaccinations) to control outbreaks, these measures were sometimes seen by the local population as an "unwelcome colonial intervention".

Control Measures: In addition to vaccinations, colonial health authorities relied on isolation and surveillance.

Disease Prevalence: During this period (around 1904-1906), not only was smallpox active, but in 1906 alone, there were over 8,600 reported plague deaths in Burma, highlighting a volatile public health environment.

The fight against smallpox in Burma was part of a broader, slow-moving effort to curb the disease in South Asia before its eventual eradication.