The first recorded accounts of biological agents being used as weapons were from the 6th century B.C.
Biological Agents
Biological agents are self-replicating living organisms or toxins produced by organisms that can be used to injure or kill humans, animals or crops. Humans, animals and plants share the earth with microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.
Among the multitude of microorganisms that inhabit the earth, most are not harmful to humans (non-pathogens), and in many cases protect us from microorganisms capable of producing disease (pathogens). However, there are hundreds of pathogens that are capable of causing disease. Some of these have been exploited for use as weapons in warfare, terrorism and crime.
Centuries before microorganisms were discovered and recognized as potential disease agents, humans used them in attacks, or as a defence, against other humans.
The History of Biowarfare
Mycotoxins
As early as the 6th century B.C. biological agents were used to poison the wells of enemies: in Mesopotamia Assyrians used rye ergot containing mycotoxins (toxins produced by a fungus) from the fungus Claviceps purpurea to poison the wells of their enemies, and hellebore (skunk cabbage), a poisonous plant, was used by the Greeks to poison the water supply during the siege of the city of Krissa.
Plague
In 1346 the Tartar army used catapults to hurl plague-ridden corpses over the walls of the city of Kaffa, a port on the Black Sea, forcing the inhabitants to surrender. And in 1422 the plague-ridden corpses of soldiers and cartloads of excrement were hurled into enemy troops at the battle of Carolstein. The same strategy was also used by Russian troops in 1710 during a war with Sweden: corpses of plague victims were hurled over the walls of the city Reval.
At the time, the causes of death were unknown, but the ability for mysterious and often fatal diseases to spread to others was certainly recognized. Although these strategies were instrumental in defeating their enemies, plague also took a toll on the armies deploying these weapons, and on the hometowns of surviving soldiers. The use of plague in the attack on Kaffa may have been the cause of the second wave of the Black Death that wiped out much of Europe.
Smallpox
Smallpox was used by the English general, Sir Jeffrey Amherst, during the French and Indian War in 1767. Blankets and handkerchiefs from soldiers with smallpox were sold to Native Americans loyal to the French. Francisco Pizzarro used similar techniques against the native population of Peru in the 16th century. And, Captain Ecuyer of the Royal Americans presented smallpox contaminated blankets and handkerchiefs as gifts to Native Americans.
The use of biological warfare continued throughout history and was exploited during the first and second World Wars.
Read more about biological agents and disease:
Sources:
Biological Warfare at the 1346 Seige of Kaffa
