world faces antibiotic apocalypse

[NigelJK]

More media hype. I linked to a proper discussion earlier. What you don't hear about are the advances in broad-spectrum AB's. These are (for the media mad) 'the last line of defence', but are actually very sophisticated pharmaceuticals, with the research to back it up. You won't ever here of them unless you've been to an ITU as a patient.

[Hobosapien]

More media hype. I linked to a proper discussion earlier. What you don't hear about are the advances in broad-spectrum AB's. These are (for the media mad) 'the last line of defence', but are actually very sophisticated pharmaceuticals, with the research to back it up. You won't ever here of them unless you've been to an ITU as a patient.

I know from experience, watching House M.D., that broad spectrum ABs never cured anyone.

[Lance]

Effectively, yes. Many vaccines work by giving the patient a weakened or dead dose of the disease.

That's innoculation rather than vaccination.

Before Jenner realised that Cowpox worked as a vaccination for Smallpox people used to innoculate with actual smallpox

They'd take the pus from a smallpox sore, and inject (when I say inject it wasn't syringes it was big fecking knives) it into a part of the body you didn't mind scaring (arms and legs mainly).

/pedant

[SueEllen]

That's innoculation rather than vaccination.

Before Jenner realised that Cowpox worked as a vaccination for Smallpox people used to innoculate with actual smallpox

They'd take the pus from a smallpox sore, and inject (when I say inject it wasn't syringes it was big fecking knives) it into a part of the body you didn't mind scaring (arms and legs mainly).

/pedant

Either that or death from smallpox.

You pays your money you take your risk.

[Lance]

Either that or death from smallpox.

You pays your money you take your risk.

It wasn't a universally popular strategy. It did work though, particularly it was done to healthy people rather than poorly people.
If you get enough people then herd immunity starts to help.