Panelists at a symposium discussed what they believed would be the likely events in and responses to an outbreak of smallpox. Once an epidemic began, the public and media would want to know why it took medical officials so long to identify the cause. But physicians are inexperienced with the eradicated disease and would not at first suspect it. One of the first crisis questions would be: who is in charge? A governor would want to step in because major health threats are dealt with on a State level. But the FBI investigates acts of terrorism. The Centers for Disease Control address public health issues. So agencies' roles may overlap. Controlling the message that is delivered to the media could be difficult especially since there may not be any consensus on what the message should be. To prevent speculation and misinformation, a centralized information center should be established. The distribution of antibiotics and vaccines is a logistical problem. The supply should be distributed to those with the greatest need, such as those who are infected or care for them. Much can be done to limit the spread of the disease by imposing a quarantine and taking precautionary measures in hospitals. Legal questions remain about a quarantine. Is it possible in a hospital but not in a community? What is the police's role? Demand for vaccines will exceed supply. Stockpiling takes 36 months and is expensive. Federal emergency management funding could pay for the epidemic. While the disease may not be contained as well as some had hoped, because of steps taken, it could have spread to many more people.