History of smallpox centuries, the WHO certified the global eradication of smallpox in December 1979. Smallpox is one of two infectious diseases to have been eradicated, the other being rinderpest, which was declared eradicated in 2011. It has been suggested that smallpox was a major component of the Plague of Athens that occurred in 430 BCE, during the Peloponnesian Wars, and was described by Thucydides. Galen's description of the Antonine Plague, which swept through the Roman Empire in 165–180, indicates that it was probably caused by smallpox. Returning soldiers brought the disease home with them to Syria and Italy, where it raged for
Certified first responder or receive this type of training because they are likely to be first on the scene of a medical emergency, or because they work far from medical help. Some of these non-traditional first responders include: Certified first responder "For the more current term, see Emergency medical responder" A certified first responder (Also called an Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency First Responder, Medical First Responder, or First Responder) is a person who has completed a course and received certification in providing pre-hospital care for medical emergencies. Certified individuals should have received much more instruction than someone who is trained in basic first