In the 1960s, infectious diseases—which had terrorized generations were tamed. Building on a century of discoveries, the leading killers of Americans both young and old were being prevented with new vaccines or cured with new med i c i n e s . The risk of death from pneumonia, tuberculosis, meningitis, influenza, whooping cough, and diphtheria declined dramatically. New vaccines lifted the fear that su m m er would bring po l i o, and a gl obal campaign was approaching the global eradication of smallpox . New pesti c i de s like DDT cleared mosquitoes from homes and fields, thus reducing the incidence of malaria which was present in the southern United States and a leading killer of children worldwide. New technologies produced safe drinking water and removed the risk of cholera and other water-borne diseases. Science seemed unstoppable. Disease seemed destined to almost disappear. But the euphoria of the 1960s has evaporated.