A professor emeritus of microbiology at Mississippi State University spoke yesterday about the past, present and future of biological warfare and bioterrorism.
Lewis R. Brown, who retired in July after 41 years of award-winning teaching and research at MSU, informed a varied audience of the facts and myths that are associated with the biological topics.
“There is so much misinformation out there. The biggest threat of biological warfare comes from this [misinformation] and that creates the fear of the unknown,” Brown said. “And as for this duct tape stuff, this is ridiculous. You can only go about 17 hours within a contained area anyway. This is a prime example of how the public reacts when incorrect information spreads.”
Brown has written over 125 scientific papers and has developed six patents in the United States. He earned his bachelor’s degree and doctorate in bacteriology from Louisiana State University. Brown served as the head of the microbiology department of MSU in 1961.
Brown began with a brief introduction of the history of biological warfare which provided insight into the development of bioterrorism. This lead to the discussion of the characteristics biological agents.
“Many people don’t realize the power of the things they cannot see. This also leads to many misunderstandings about biological agents,” Brown said.
Brown provided statistics of the potency of specific viruses, pathogens and bacteria. He also explained the pros and cons of developing certain deadly biological agents.
“Developing and containing these agents is not an easy process by any means, but this is a process that is important for researchers to develop vaccines,” Brown said.
Brown also discussed the differences between chemical and nuclear warfare in relation to biological warfare.
“Biological warfare is much more effective as a weapon of war. It is cheaper and can disseminated in several different ways,” Brown said. “One obvious advantage that is associated with bioterrorism is that it can be distributed covertly and in a precise manner.”
In closing, Brown gave facts on defense mechanisms and his personal opinions on the long-term outlook of biological warfare.
“The greatest defense a person can have against biological agents is a healthy body. We are equipped with natural defense mechanisms that not only can prevent, but fight off diseases,” Brown said.