2) The symptoms start 7 to 17 days after exposure. The initial symptom is a very high fever following with body aches. People are usually too ill to get out of bed. Within 24 to 48 hours, a rash begins to appear everywhere on the body, especially on the arms, legs, mouth and face. The eyes are affected as well. This could lead to potential blindness among survivors. The lesions ( red dots or rash) resemble a cold sore or blister filled with pus. After a week or two, the lesion with fall off leaving a deep scar. this can lead to death.
3) One out of three people infected died of smallpox.
4) The origin of the smallpox is uncertain but it is believed that it originated from Africa, then spread to China and India thousands of years ago. The first recorded smallpox epidemic was is 1350 BC during the Egyptian- Hittite war. Smallpox reached Europe between the 5th and 7th centuries and was present in the major European cities by the 18th century. In North America, the big epidemic occurred in the 17th and 18th century. After a while, smallpox was a significant disease in every country of the world except Australia and a few small islands killing hundreds of millions of people.
5) The circumstances were uncertain but it didn't help that these people did not have any hygiene therefore making themselves even weaker and ready for the virus if they weren't in that position already. This disease was spread from travelers that had gotten disease from another country and brought it into their country, infecting everyone.
** I would add a photo but the disease is so disturbing I can't bring myself to do it...
A documentary on the history of the smallpox epidemic in the world:
I'm not really sure why the first few questions are highlighted.
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