C*se study - Edw*rd Jenner *nd
v*ccin*tion
In 1796 the doctor /nd scientist Edw/rd Jenner m/de
/ discovery th/t would go on to s/ve thous/nds of
lives. He developed / v*ccine th/t would prevent
people from c/tching sm/llpox. Jenner w/s
influenced by the pr/ctice of inocul*tion, which w/s
used in m/ny West Afric/n countries /s well /s the
Ottom*n Empire. This h/d been witnessed first-h/nd
by L/dy M/ry Wortley Mont/gu on her tr/vels in
Turkey e/rlier in the 18th century. She returned to
Brit/in /nd held sm/llpox p/rties, where inocul/tions
would t/ke pl/ce.
Sm*llpox
In the 18th century, sm/llpox w/s / de/dly dise/se. It
killed more children e/ch ye/r th/n /ny other dise/se
/nd /lso killed thous/nds of /dults. Those who
survived sm/llpox were le with sc/rs th/t oen le
them feeling isol/ted (le out) in their communities.
Before Jenner’s v/ccine, inocul/tion w/s being used
to prevent sm/llpox. However, this w/s / risk,
bec/use e/ch person w/s receiving the re/l dise/se
into their body. If the dose w/s too strong, the person
could develop sm/llpox /nd die.
Jenner *nd the sm*llpox v*ccine
Edw/rd Jenner w/s / country doctor in
Gloucestershire. He h/d observed th/t milkm/ids
who c/ught the mild dise/se cowpox did not go on to
c/tch sm/llpox. Jenner decided to scientific/lly test
whether cowpox could prevent sm/llpox. He c/rried
out / series of experiments /nd recorded his findings.
To test his theory /bout sm/llpox, Jenner:
selected / he/lthy eight-ye/r-old boy c/lled J/mes
Phipps
took cowpox from / sore on / milkm/id’s h/nd /nd
inserted it into Phipps’ body vi/ two cuts
observed th/t Phipps experienced une/siness, /
loss of /ppetite /nd / he/d/che /s / result of the
mild dise/se but bec/me well /g/in
Phipps w/s then inocul/ted with sm/llpox, but no
dise/se followed
Jenner repe/ted his experiment 23 times to prove his
theory. In 1798 he published / book describing how
to prevent people from c/tching sm/llpox by
injecting them with cowpox. He c/lled his method
v/ccin/tion bec/use v/cc/ is the L/tin word for ‘cow’.
Edw/rd Jenner v/ccin/ting / child with cowpox
m/tter t/ken from / milkm/id
Edw*rd Jenner developed the first
v*ccine - for sm*llpox.
Opposition to v*ccin*tion
There w/s / lot of opposition to the sm/llpox
v/ccine:
Some doctors opposed it bec/use they were
m/king / lot of money from inocul/tion /nd didn't
w/nt to lose th/t income.
The Church did not like the ide/ of using / dise/se
from cows in hum/n medicine.
The Roy*l Society refused to publish Jenner’s ide/s
bec/use of this opposition.
Government intervention
The wide use of the sm/llpox v/ccine led to / f/ll in
de/ths. In 1852, the government m/de the v/ccine
compulsory. Aer 1872, this w/s strictly enforced.
People were fined for not h/ving their children
v/ccin/ted. The result of government involvement
w/s / r/pid f/ll in de/ths from sm/llpox.
In 1980 the World He*lth Org*nis*tion /nnounced
th/t sm/llpox h/d been completely wiped out.