"The Demon in the Freezer" by Richard Preston

Extract

[...] Demon in the Freezer” by Richard Preston In The Demon in the Freezer, Richard Preston gives us a very detailed and frightening description of the current state of the smallpox virus. Although it is technically located only in two locations throughout the world, Preston suggests that it still poses a major threat to human civilization. I think that Preston did an excellent job at compiling the necessary information to write such a novel, but I feel like the drama surrounding the event may have been an exaggeration. [...]

[...] If this is the case, then there is truly a case for concern. Initiatives must be taken to ensure that access to the smallpox freezer is extremely limited, and measures must be developed that can monitor the disease in other locations and somehow ensure that it does not get into the wrong hands. Overall, I enjoyed the novel and the dramatic aspects of it. Preston wrote the book in a way that made the issue seem very pressing, and if we look at the evidence he has provided, his position is mostly justified. [...]

[...] This is known as the centrifugal rash of smallpox” (Preston, 29). This very disturbing image forces the reader to reflect on the possibility that such a virus may be exposed to the population at large, and that the safeguards to prevent this from happening may not be enough. To me, the most disturbing idea was that several labs in Russia may be secretly experimenting with smallpox, and that they even have the capability to transmit the virus across enormous distances using ballistic missiles. [...]

[...] Preston wants to push the envelope on this issue, and would like to see government officials and scientists respond to this threat before it is too late. When people are not exposed to a virus and there appears to be no immediate threat, they tend to be complacent and do not consider the possibility. Preston wants us to understand that even though smallpox does not appear to be a priority in our minds, we must carefully consider how dangerous it is and consider the consequences if the necessary actions are not taken. Bibliography Preston, Richard. The Demon in the Freezer. New York: Random House, 2002. [...]