Smallpox, Jenner and the Development of Vaccinations

Summary

This section covers the history of smallpox, its devastating effects, and the development of vaccinations. Smallpox, a highly contagious and deadly disease, killed millions, especially during the 18th century. Inoculation, a method brought to Britain from Asia, was used but had significant risks. Edward Jenner, a country doctor, discovered that milkmaids who had cowpox were immune to smallpox. Through experiments, he developed the concept of vaccination using cowpox to protect against smallpox, revolutionizing medicine and leading to the eventual eradication of the disease.

Takeaways

• 😷 **Smallpox was a highly feared disease**: It was as feared as the plague in medieval times and caused high fever, rash, blisters, and severe pain.
• 💀 **High mortality rate**: Between 30-60% of those infected died from smallpox in the 1700s.
• 🏥 **Disfiguring effects**: Survivors were often left with disfiguring scars and sometimes blindness.
• 🤒 **Contagious and widespread**: Smallpox was contagious and caused several epidemics in the 1700s, particularly in cities.
• 🔬 **Inoculation was an early solution**: Introduced in 1721, it involved introducing pus from smallpox blisters into small cuts on a patient to induce a mild form of the disease.
• 🚫 **Risks of inoculation**: It could lead to a full-blown case of smallpox and patients were contagious, necessitating quarantine.
• 💸 **Inoculation was expensive**: High-status doctors charged up to 20 pounds (equivalent to £1,500 today), making it inaccessible to many.
• 🐄 **Cowpox as a breakthrough**: Edward Jenner observed that milkmaids with cowpox didn't get smallpox.
• 🧪 **Jenner's experiments**: He conducted experiments, including on an eight-year-old boy, showing that cowpox protected against smallpox.
• 📚 **Publication of findings**: Jenner published his findings in 'An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae', introducing the term 'vaccination'.

Q & A

What are the initial symptoms of smallpox?

Smallpox begins with a high fever, which can come and go, followed by a flat rash that progresses to raised bumps and then fluid-filled blisters that eventually scab over.

Why was smallpox such a feared disease in the 1700s?

Smallpox was feared because it had a high death rate, with 30-60% of those infected dying. Survivors were often left with severe scarring or blindness. It was also highly contagious, causing multiple epidemics.

What are the long-term effects for people who survive smallpox?

Survivors of smallpox were often left disfigured with scars and, in some cases, blind due to the severity of the disease's rash and its effects on the body.

How did inoculation work in the 1700s?

Inoculation involved making a small cut on the patient's skin and rubbing pus from a smallpox blister into the wound. The idea was to give the patient a mild case of smallpox, which would protect them from future infections.

What were the risks and limitations of inoculation?

The risks of inoculation included the possibility of contracting a severe case of smallpox, becoming contagious and spreading the disease to others, and the high cost of the procedure, making it inaccessible for many people.

Who introduced the practice of inoculation to Britain, and where did it originate?

Lady Mary Montagu introduced inoculation to Britain after learning about it in Istanbul. The practice originally came from China and Asia.

What did Edward Jenner notice about milkmaids and their resistance to smallpox?

Edward Jenner noticed that milkmaids who had contracted cowpox, a mild disease, did not seem to get smallpox. This observation led him to wonder if cowpox could protect people from smallpox.

What experiment did Edward Jenner conduct to test his theory about cowpox and smallpox?

Edward Jenner conducted an experiment where he inoculated an 8-year-old boy, James Phipps, with cowpox and later exposed him to smallpox. The boy did not contract smallpox, confirming Jenner's theory.

What is the significance of Jenner's publication titled 'An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae'?

In this publication, Jenner introduced the concept of vaccination, showing that cowpox could provide protection against smallpox. This revolutionary idea laid the foundation for modern vaccines.

Why is the term 'vaccination' derived from the Latin word for cow?

The term 'vaccination' comes from the Latin word 'vaca,' meaning cow, because Jenner's process used cowpox to protect against smallpox, linking the procedure to the animal.