it's ironic that malaria is the one ancient disease which is not transmitted by bad air, ie aerosol droplets (let alone literal posion gas).

medics have of course been getting things wrong for millennia / centuries / decades.

more recently, CorViD-19 provides another opportunity for irony because "letterbox" women, with covered faces and routinely staying at least 3 paces behind their possibly infected menfolk, should be getting to have the last laugh against Boris Johnson et al.

Johnson burka

Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus