Wasn't the theory not that milk provides protection from smallpox, but proximity to cows transmits cowpox, which itself provides protection from small pox? The

Wasn't the theory not that milk provides protection from smallpox, but proximity to cows transmits cowpox, which itself provides protection from small pox? Then again, in a world where >95% of people are farmers and there's no refrigeration (so milk has to be consumed fast), I'm not sure the difference between handling cows and drinking milk is much of a difference.