Michael Willrich examined the smallpox epidemic in America in the early 1900s. The author detailed the government's initiatives to deter the spread of the disease by requiring mandatory vaccinations and instituting "virus squads" that upheld quarantines. Though these measures eventually contained the disease, they also sparked a wave of popular resistance among Americans who perceived them as a threat to their health and to their rights. Mr. Willrich addressed the questions of how far the government should go to protect the people and what happens when the interests of public health collide with religious beliefs and personal conscience. He responded to questions from members of the audience.