生物武器的威力提到武器,人们自然会想到机关枪和大炮。但这些都属于常规武器。还有一类武器称为特殊武器,如核武器、化学武器和生物武器等,它们比常规武器具有更大的杀伤能力,故又称为大规模杀伤武器。其中由于生物武器成本低廉,故有人把它称为“穷人的原子弹”。生物武器的杀伤作用是由致病微生物和生物毒素引起的。在人类历史上曾发生过多次传染病大流行,如鼠疫、霍乱、天花、斑疹伤寒等使成干上万人死亡。14世纪时,被称为“黑死病”的鼠疫在欧、亚、非三大洲流行,仅1348～1350年,欧洲就 The power of biological weapons refers to weapons, and people naturally think of machine guns and cannons. But these are all conventional weapons. Another type of weapon is called special weapons, such as nuclear weapons, chemical weapons and biological weapons. They are also more lethal than conventional weapons, so they are also called weapons of mass destruction. Among them, because of the low cost of biological weapons, some people call it the “atomic bomb of the poor.” The killing of biological weapons is caused by pathogenic and biotoxins. In the history of mankind, there have been many pandemic of infectious diseases such as plague, cholera, smallpox and typhus, which have caused tens of thousands of deaths. In the 14th century, the plague known as “Black Death” was prevalent in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Only in 1348-1350, Europe