lungs, making it possible to say that Anthrax is rare but extremely deadly. Studies of previous cases indicate that a dose of 2,500 to 55,000 Anthrax spores are lethal to about half the people who inhale them. Intestinal anthrax results in death in 25% to 60% of cases. The symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting of blood, loss of appetite, and abdominal pain.
             The Anthrax disease has a long history with mankind. It was known to ancient cultures in the 18th and 19th century, identified by scientists in 1876, suspected in World War I, tested in World War II, and released in Japan by the Aum Shrinkyo cult in 1993. The Huns in 80 AD described Anthrax as a killer. The death of nearly 40,000 horses and 100,000 cattle during their movement across Eurasia caused this assumption. Anthrax was the first microorganism identified as the cause of a specific disease by Dr. Robert Koch in 1876. Later he began growing Anthrax in his laboratory for research but found no cure. Within a decade Louis Pasteur developed a viable anthrax vaccine. World War I saw the possible introduction of Anthrax as a weapon against livestock and transportation animals. A number of suspected uses of Anthrax by German government during World War I were alleged, but not well documented. United States proceeded with research into the use of Anthrax bacillus as a weapon in World War II. During this war no combatants used anthrax during this war, the Anthracis bacillus was tested on both animals and allied prisoners. The Aum Shrinkyo cult attempted to release anthrax spores in downtown Tokyo in 1993 one month prior to the nerve gas attack. This incident marks the first instance of anthrax to be used as a weapon against a civilian population.
             All it takes is a single breath, a bite of uncooked meat, or an open cut to get anthrax. The greatest threat with the most deadly consequences is pulmonary anthrax, which starts with inhalation of anthrax spores. Taking one breath of ...