How I Broke ChatGPT by Asking About Vaccines and Mortality Rates
Try This On Your AI and See What Answers You Get
Author’s Note: You may enjoy listening to the audio version while reading the article, as I skim through ChatGPT's responses and offer additional commentary.
Introduction
The other day — thanks to the Substack algorithm, I came across the following note:
In my earlier days, I’ve come across information that these diseases (tuberculosis, diphtheria, typhoid, measles, and smallpox) were wiped out before vaccines came on board, but seeing this note again brought this information back to light.
I followed that note and came across
’s substack and started reading his latest article, “Infectious Disease, Antibiotics, and Vaccination.”While reading, I encountered an image that immediately struck me — bam, this is the data that I’ve seen before:
I wanted to share this information with my mainstream friends, but I knew they’d be hesitant to trust anything from Substack. However, if I could present the same data from a mainstream source like ChatGPT, they might be more willing to consider it.
With that in mind, I asked ChatGPT to pull information related to the data presented by Roman. What happened next was fascinating — ChatGPT malfunctioned in so many ways that I eventually had to turn off my computer and step away for the day.
Below is my conversation with ChatGPT. You’ll notice that I had to repeat myself several times because it initially refused to answer the question.
Conversation with ChatGPT about US Mortality Rates and Vaccination
Me: “United States Vital Statistics Mortality Rates from Scarlet Fever, Whooping Cough, Measles, Diphteria, and Typhoid United States (1900-1965)”
ChatGPT: Between 1900 and 1965, the United States experienced significant declines in mortality rates from scarlet fever, whooping cough (pertussis), measles, diphtheria, and typhoid fever. These reductions were largely due to advancements in medical knowledge, the introduction of vaccines, improved sanitation, and public health initiatives.
Scarlet Fever: Mortality rates for scarlet fever decreased substantially during this period. In 1900, scarlet fever was a significant cause of death among children. By 1950, the death rate had declined to a small fraction of its earlier value. CDC Stacks
Whooping Cough (Pertussis): Whooping cough was a leading cause of childhood mortality in the early 20th century. The introduction of the pertussis vaccine in the 1940s led to a sharp decline in both incidence and mortality rates. By 1950, the death rate for whooping cough had decreased significantly. CDC Stacks
Measles: Measles caused numerous deaths annually before the availability of a vaccine. In the early 1900s, measles was responsible for a high number of childhood deaths. The introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963 led to a dramatic reduction in cases and deaths. CDC
Diphtheria: Diphtheria was a major cause of illness and death among children in the early 1900s. The development and widespread use of the diphtheria antitoxin and later the diphtheria vaccine resulted in a significant decline in mortality rates. By 1950, diphtheria had almost disappeared as a cause of death. CDC Stacks
Typhoid Fever: Typhoid fever mortality rates declined markedly due to improvements in sanitation, water quality, and the introduction of vaccines. In 1900, the death rate for typhoid fever was 31.3 per 100,000 population. By 1950, it had decreased to 0.1 per 100,000. CDC Stacks
Overall, the period from 1900 to 1965 saw remarkable progress in reducing deaths from these infectious diseases, transforming public health outcomes in the United States.
The piece on typhoid fever was what caught my eye. According to ChatGPT, the mortality rates decreased but I didn’t see on the chart when the typhoid vaccine was invented. So I wanted to do a little bit more digging.
Me: “whats the typhoid vaccine ?”
ChatGPT: The typhoid vaccine protects against typhoid fever, a serious disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi. Typhoid fever spreads through contaminated food or water and can lead to severe symptoms, including high fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea or constipation. Without treatment, it can be life-threatening.
Me: “when was it created?”
ChatGPT: ……
Me: “when was the typhoid vaccine created?”
ChatGPT: The typhoid vaccine has a history that dates back over a century, with significant developments occurring at different points:
Early Developments:
1896: The first typhoid vaccine was developed independently by Almroth Wright, a British bacteriologist, and Richard Pfeiffer, a German scientist. This vaccine was based on killed Salmonella Typhi bacteria.
It was one of the earliest bacterial vaccines and marked the beginning of typhoid fever immunization.
Military Use:
Typhoid vaccines were first widely used in military settings. The U.S. Army adopted the vaccine during the Spanish-American War (1898) and World War I (1914–1918) to combat typhoid outbreaks among soldiers, significantly reducing mortality rates.
Modern Developments:
1940s: Improved manufacturing techniques were developed to produce safer and more effective inactivated vaccines.
1970s: The Vi polysaccharide vaccine, a more purified form of the inactivated vaccine, was developed.
Licensed for use in many countries in the 1980s.
1980s: The oral live attenuated vaccine (Ty21a) was introduced, offering a more convenient option for immunization.
Hmmm, interesting. So sounds like a vaccine wasn’t really created for typhoid until the 40s. So, I kept on asking.
Me: so: Typhoid Fever: Typhoid fever mortality rates declined markedly due to improvements in sanitation, water quality, and the introduction of vaccines. In 1900, the death rate for typhoid fever was 31.3 per 100,000 population. By 1950, it had decreased to 0.1 per 100,000 but the vaccine was created in the 1940s?
ChatGPT: ……
Maybe it didn’t hear me. So I asked again —
Me: so: Typhoid Fever: Typhoid fever mortality rates declined markedly due to improvements in sanitation, water quality, and the introduction of vaccines. In 1900, the death rate for typhoid fever was 31.3 per 100,000 population. By 1950, it had decreased to 0.1 per 100,000 but the vaccine was created in the 1940s?
ChatGPT: You're correct to point out an apparent mismatch between the timeline of declining typhoid mortality and the widespread availability of the modern typhoid vaccine (Emphasis mine).
Why Did Typhoid Mortality Decline Before the Widespread Use of Vaccines?
Improvements in Sanitation and Water Quality:
Early 20th Century Public Health Initiatives: The most significant factor in reducing typhoid mortality was the widespread implementation of sanitation measures, including water treatment (chlorination and filtration) and better sewage systems.
Typhoid Transmission: Since typhoid is transmitted through contaminated food and water, these improvements dramatically reduced its spread, particularly in urban areas.
Hygiene Practices:
Increased awareness of hygiene, such as handwashing and proper food handling, further reduced transmission rates.
Epidemiological Advances:
Quarantine measures, surveillance of outbreaks, and isolation of infected individuals helped contain the disease.
The Role of Vaccines:
The early typhoid vaccines (1896) were used primarily in military and high-risk populations rather than for mass public immunization. These vaccines contributed to localized reductions in typhoid but were not a significant factor in the broad decline seen in mortality rates.
The modern typhoid vaccines (Vi polysaccharide and Ty21a) were developed much later (mid-20th century) and had limited impact on the already declining mortality rates in developed countries where sanitation measures were in place.
Key Takeaway:
The sharp decline in typhoid mortality from 1900 to 1950 was primarily due to public health measures rather than vaccines. The vaccine's role became more prominent later, especially in developing countries where sanitation improvements lagged.
LOL! So, it goes on to admit that the rates already started declining before the vaccine comes out, so I kept on going.
Me: “can you do the same analysis for Diphteria?”
ChatGPT: Analysis of Diphtheria Mortality Decline
Diphtheria Mortality Rates Over Time:
In 1900, diphtheria was a major cause of childhood mortality in the United States.
By the mid-20th century, mortality rates from diphtheria had plummeted, with significant reductions by 1950.
Timeline of Mortality Decline vs. Vaccine Introduction
Pre-Vaccine Decline:
1900–1920s: Mortality rates from diphtheria began to decline before the widespread use of vaccines.
This decline can largely be attributed to:
Public Health Measures:
Quarantine and isolation of infected individuals.
Improved public health awareness about hygiene and disease prevention.
Diphtheria Antitoxin: Developed in the 1890s, it became widely used in the early 1900s to treat diphtheria cases. This passive immunization significantly reduced the severity and fatality of the disease.
Vaccine Introduction:
The diphtheria toxoid vaccine was developed in the 1920s by Gaston Ramon and began to be used widely in the 1930s.
By the 1940s, diphtheria vaccination campaigns were implemented on a large scale, particularly for children.
PS: Autism begins to show up right after the Diphtheria vaccination
Vaccination contributed significantly to the continued decline in cases and deaths.
Key Factors in Mortality Decline
Early Decline (1900–1930s):
Improvements in:
Urban sanitation and living conditions.
Public health infrastructure, including better medical care and education.
Use of the diphtheria antitoxin.
Post-Vaccine Era (1940s onward):
Mass immunization campaigns with the diphtheria toxoid vaccine virtually eliminated diphtheria as a major public health threat in the United States.
Combination vaccines, like DTP (Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis), further increased coverage and convenience.
Conclusion:
The mortality decline from diphtheria between 1900 and 1950 was initially driven by public health improvements and antitoxin therapy. The introduction of the diphtheria toxoid vaccine in the 1930s accelerated the decline and ultimately led to the near eradication of diphtheria in developed countries by the mid-20th century. Public health efforts and early therapeutic interventions laid the groundwork for the vaccine's success.
Well, what do you know? It took some time, but ChatGPT eventually revealed that both typhoid and diphtheria mortality rates were already declining before the vaccines were introduced.
Me: so for both, we're seeing large decreases before vaccination efforts right?
ChatGPT: Yes, that’s correct! For both typhoid fever and diphtheria, the majority of the decline in mortality occurred before widespread vaccination efforts, driven primarily by improvements in public health measures and medical interventions:
Typhoid Fever
Key Driver of Early Decline (1900–1940s):
Improved sanitation: Access to clean water and sewage systems drastically reduced transmission.
Hygiene practices: Handwashing, food safety awareness, and quarantine efforts further reduced cases.
Role of Vaccination:
The early vaccine (1896) had limited use in high-risk groups, primarily in military settings.
Vaccination campaigns came much later and were not the primary reason for the decline in developed countries.
Diphtheria
Key Driver of Early Decline (1900–1930s):
Antitoxin therapy: Introduced in the late 19th century, it effectively treated diphtheria and reduced fatalities.
Public health measures: Isolation of cases, improved hygiene, and better access to medical care helped control outbreaks.
Role of Vaccination:
The diphtheria toxoid vaccine (1930s) accelerated the decline and nearly eradicated diphtheria when mass immunizations began in the 1940s.
Why the Declines Happened Before Vaccination
Public Health Revolution:
The early 20th century saw a transformation in public health infrastructure.
Water treatment, sanitation, and urban planning were prioritized, reducing disease exposure.
Medical Interventions:
Early therapies (like antitoxins for diphtheria) improved survival rates.
Public health campaigns educated people about hygiene and disease prevention.
Natural Epidemiological Trends:
Diseases often follow a natural decline in mortality due to factors like improved nutrition and herd immunity, even before medical interventions.
Vaccines' Role in Eliminating Disease
While mortality rates were already declining, vaccines played a crucial role in nearly eradicating these diseases:
Vaccination prevented new cases entirely, breaking the chain of transmission.
This was particularly vital in areas where sanitation and public health measures were harder to implement.
In summary, the declines in mortality from typhoid fever and diphtheria highlight the importance of public health measures, while vaccines were instrumental in the final stages of disease control and elimination.
Again, let’s look at this image to bring back into focus what the main point is:
The mortality rates for all these diseases were on the decline before vaccinations
But wait, let’s keep going ChatGPT. Let’s keep verifying these numbers!
Me: would this apply to the rest of the disease: Scarlet Fever, Whooping Cough, Measles, Diphteria, and Typhoid United States ?
ChatGPT: ……
Maybe it didn’t hear me. Let me ask again:
Me: would this apply to the rest of the disease: Scarlet Fever, Whooping Cough, Measles, Diphteria, and Typhoid United States ?
ChatGPT: Something went wrong. If this issue persists please contact us through our help center at help.openai.com.
Update!
I wanted to try my luck again and this morning, I decided to hit the refresh one more time on that inquiry and it worked! I was able to get the answers and also get the link1 to share the back and forth with ChatGPT with you.
To close, here’s the last part of the inquiry from ChatGPT:
Me: would this apply to the rest of the disease: Scarlet Fever, Whooping Cough, Measles, Diphteria, and Typhoid United States ?
ChatGPT: Yes, the pattern of significant declines in mortality before widespread vaccination efforts applies to some, but not all of these diseases. The specific timeline and contributing factors vary depending on the disease. Here’s a breakdown:
Scarlet Fever
Decline Before Vaccination:
Mortality from scarlet fever declined sharply in the early 20th century, despite the absence of a vaccine (there is still no vaccine for scarlet fever today).
Key Drivers of Decline:
Improvements in hygiene and living conditions.
Advances in medical care, including the availability of antibiotics (1930s–1940s), which significantly reduced fatal outcomes.
Key Insight: Decline was almost entirely due to public health and medical advancements, particularly antibiotics.
Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Decline Before Vaccination:
Mortality from pertussis began declining before the introduction of the pertussis vaccine in the 1940s.
Key Drivers of Decline:
Better nutrition and access to healthcare reduced complications and fatalities.
Improved understanding of disease management.
Post-Vaccine Impact:
The introduction of the DTwP vaccine (diphtheria-tetanus-whole-cell pertussis) dramatically reduced cases and mortality rates after the 1940s.
Measles
Decline Before Vaccination:
Mortality from measles declined significantly before the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963.
Key Drivers of Decline:
Improved nutrition and medical care, particularly the treatment of secondary infections like pneumonia and dehydration from diarrhea.
Widespread public health campaigns promoting isolation during outbreaks.
Post-Vaccine Impact:
The measles vaccine led to a sharp drop in cases and near elimination in many regions.
Diphtheria
Decline Before Vaccination:
Mortality declined significantly before the diphtheria toxoid vaccine became widespread in the 1930s.
Key Drivers of Decline:
Antitoxin therapy (1890s) reduced case fatality rates.
Public health measures like isolation and hygiene improvements.
Post-Vaccine Impact:
Vaccination campaigns in the 1940s nearly eradicated diphtheria.
Typhoid Fever
Decline Before Vaccination:
Mortality from typhoid fever dropped dramatically before the widespread use of typhoid vaccines in the mid-20th century.
Key Drivers of Decline:
Improved sanitation, water treatment, and food safety.
Public health efforts to control outbreaks.
Post-Vaccine Impact:
Vaccines played a greater role in controlling typhoid in regions with poor sanitation.
Common Themes Across These Diseases:
Public Health Measures: The biggest initial reductions in mortality came from improved sanitation, clean water, better nutrition, and healthcare access.
Medical Advances: Treatments such as antibiotics, antitoxins, and supportive care significantly reduced fatalities.
Vaccination as a Final Step: Vaccines were crucial in reducing cases and preventing deaths after public health measures had already reduced mortality.
Key Takeaway:
For scarlet fever, whooping cough, measles, diphtheria, and typhoid fever, the early mortality declines were due to public health improvements and medical treatments. Vaccines were instrumental in controlling the diseases long-term and preventing outbreaks but were not the primary drivers of the initial decline in mortality.
Ladies and gentlemen, the case is closed: these diseases were already on the decline before any vaccination efforts began.
Thank you
for this article and for sparking this important conversation, and thanks to the Substack algorithm for bringing this topic to light. I look forward to more discussions like this!Ashe!
Franklin O’Kanu — The Alchemik Pharmacist
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Notes and References
https://chatgpt.com/share/675ad329-9a90-8003-9ebd-48b2176124e2
Update: I found out this morning that ironically ChatGPT was down last night as I was asking it the questions and that may have contributed to the delayed response. So sounds like ChatGPT wasn’t “broken" in providing me my responses. Ultimately, the answer still remains — no need for vaccines!
Good of you! Humans must stay the boss.