Following Part 1 of this BBC trilogy of medical documentaries, presenter Michael Mosely focuses on our ability as humans in tackling some of the most serious, and fatal bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. One of the biggest feats of human medical intervention ever has been the eradiction of the smallpox virus, the culprit responsible for millions of deaths in that dark period of the epidemic. Featuring this, and other major infectious diseases, Dr Mosley narrates a scientific journey through which numerous scientists, doctors and corporations worked together to find the elusive cure.
It starts with an account, describing the last moments of the life of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Mosley comments that he probably died from a simple infection - the fate of million of people around the globe at that time, a time which medicine as we know it was very primitive. Even the 'best physicians' in the country could not find a successful solution for President Washington. This is an alarming contrast to today's world, where a small scratch proves nothing significant at all, but back then, it could lead to something life-threatning. Even in World War 1, more soldiers died of wound infections, than from 'direct hit'.
To appreciate just how dangerous bacterial and viral infectious agents are, and how easily they can spread, Dr Mosley visits the Centres for Disease and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. It is one of two centres in the world that currently contain repositories of the deadly smallpox virus, with virtually unbreathable security. Even the BBC had extremely limited access. If the virus were to get into the wrong hands, the consequences could be disastrous - many precautionary measures are in place to minimise this possibility indefinitely. The CDC holds some of the worlds 'worst serial killers' to put it simply.
In the 1790's America especially, microbes weren't remotely considered to be the cause of such sudden deaths such as Washington's. Only after the Germ Theory was discovered, that people's perceptions began to change regarding infection and disease. Through subsequent wars in history, medicines advancements have been accelerated - medical science has professed to a point where we may be considered 'ahead of our time'.
Even further progress came when Methylene blue dye was dissevered by Paul Ehrlich to be remarkably effective in 'illuminating' the hidden world of bacteria. Staining is still used enormously today, so that we may appreciate how complex the small world really is. With the right stain for a particular bacteria, scientists were able to make discoveries into how a certain bacteria strain causes a particular disease.
From here, the next step was to find substances that can destroy these bacteria - we have been seeking 'magic bullets' ever since.
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