The Eleventh Plague deals with a terrifying and compelling subject: biological and chemical warfare. Using historical and contemporary examples, Cole explains what biological and chemical weapons are, how they are developed and tested, and what their effects can be. He vividly describes the very real threat that Iraq would use chemical weapons in the Gulf War - real enough that every man, woman, and child in Israel had to wear a gas mask. He also analyzes the possibility that the so-called Gulf War syndrome may have been due to biological or chemical weapons, a possibility that federal investigations have yet to confirm or disprove. Cole lucidly describes the wide range of possible responses to the threat of biological or chemical warfare. But every expert admits that absolute protection may be impossible. Materials can be easy to get, even easier to transport, and virtually impossible to trace. The Eleventh Plague arms us with a frightening knowledge. What do recent political and technical developments suggest for the future? And how will we fight this increasingly ominous, deadly plague?

Cole, Leonard A., 1933-

Twenty-First Century Books, Incorporated

New York: Henry Holt

St. Martin's Press

Holt Paperbacks

W.H. Freeman

Owl Books

United States, United States of America

October 15, 1996

This introduction to the science and politics of biological and chemical warfare describes what such weapons are and what their effects can be, as well as how they have been developed and tested. The focus is on biological weapons, which may reproduce and be contagious.

"A W.H. Freeman/Owl Book."
Includes bibliographical references (pages 227-272) and index

2023-06-28