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> In 1796 Jenner noticed that milkmaids who had caught the cowpox virus did not normally then catch smallpox. Cowpox was very similar to smallpox but less conta
by craftyguy 8y ago
> In 1796 Jenner noticed that milkmaids who had caught the cowpox virus did not normally then catch smallpox. Cowpox was very similar to smallpox but less contagious.
> He collected pus from the cowpox blisters on a milkmaid's hands and purposely infected a small boy.
> The boy was taken ill for a short while, but was then resistant to any subsequent infections of the cowpox and smallpox viruses.
> He tested this by infecting the boy with smallpox and no illness occurred.
Gosh, medical testing has come a long way since then. It's a little hard to believe that the discovery of one of the most important vaccines in human history played out this way. Someone doing something similar now would likely be executed or thrown in prison for life, and rightfully so. But, still crazy to think about.
- jkabrg 8y agoHe didn't infect him, he variolated him. Variolation normally causes a very mild form of smallpox -- but results in a person becoming immune to the disease. Variolation is the predecessor of vaccination.
- craftyguy 8y agoReally? The article says the boy was infected with smallpox after being exposed to cowpox to test whether or not exposure to cowpox would help: > > He tested this by infecting the boy with smallpox and no illness occurred.
- jkabrg 8y agoThe wording is misleading. For the following reasons: - Variolation was common in England at the time. - Wikipedia says that he *inoculated* the boy with smallpox. That means variolation.
- sg0 8y agoIndeed it was misleading. "The basis for vaccination began in 1796 when an English doctor named Edward Jenner observed that milkmaids who had gotten cowpox did not show any symptoms of smallpox after variolation. The first experiment to test this theory involved milkmaid Sarah Nelmes and James Phipps, the 9 year-old son of Jenner’s gardener. Dr. Jenner took material from a cowpox sore on Nelmes’ hand and inoculated it into Phipps’ arm. Months later, Jenner exposed Phipps a number of times to variola virus, but Phipps never developed smallpox." from https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/history/history.html https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/history/history.html
- steve19 8y agoWell the history of variolation in the West is no walk in the park. It was tested on prisoners who were then exposed to smallpox and told if they survived they would go free! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variolation https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variolation
- therein 8y ago> It was tested on prisoners who were then exposed to smallpox and told if they survived they would go free! I am not saying it is an good situation but I have a feeling a lot of people who are in prison for life with no chance of parole would probably be interested in such an offer.