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A Brief History of the Smallpox Vaccine
July 23, 2020
Smallpox is the only disease to be eradicated via vaccination. Though it ravaged the world for many centuries, we are now free of the disease and no longer need to vaccinate. Read on to learn more about the history of smallpox inoculation and how it helped eradicate the disease.
Variolation
Smallpox cases can be definitively traced back as early as the 6th century
in China and Japan, but effective preventative treatment was invented much later. As smallpox became a worldwide epidemic, people looked everywhere for a solution.
Smallpox was extremely deadly with a high mortality rate. Those infected developed scars, blindness, and were often disfigured even after recovering. Because of the severity, people often looked for preventative measures rather than cures.
The first preventative treatment developed was variolation. The process had a healthy person injected with pus from a smallpox sore. The person inoculated would develop a mild case of smallpox, and have a much higher chance of living through it than if they had contracted smallpox naturally. After this discovery, the process of variolation gradually swept across the world.
The effects of variolation can be seen in history books. When George Washington led his troops against the British to take Quebec, the campaign failed because of a smallpox epidemic among American troops. The British all had been variolated and were therefore immune.
Vaccination
Variolation significantly decreased the mortality rate of smallpox, but those inoculated still developed symptoms. Edward Jenner, born in 1749, was an important contributor in developing the vaccine for smallpox, which came from unexpected origins.
Smallpox affected every demographic, from the most wealthy to those in poverty. However, milkmaids seemed to be immune. After some investigation, Jenner discovered that these workers had likely already suffered from cowpox.
After research and testing, Jenner proved cowpox was an effective tool to immunize against smallpox. He inoculated a young boy, who developed a mild fever and chills but was completely healthy ten days after the procedure. Later, when Jenner injected the boy with the smallpox virus, no symptoms developed. Immunization with cowpox was a much safer procedure than variolation, and so the vaccine developed.
Despite having conclusive proof, Jenner was ridiculed for his findings. People found it hard to believe that there was an effective vaccine for smallpox that reduced the mortality rate even more than variolation. Eventually, Jenner received worldwide honors for his work, but he refused to use his vaccine or research to gain wealth. Instead, his private practice suffered because of his devotion to his research.
Eradication
After the smallpox vaccine was developed and recognized as effective, the war on the disease began. In 1959, the WHO (World Health Organization) began an effort to completely eradicate smallpox. However, the campaign quickly died from a lack of funds and a shortage of vaccine donations. Smallpox ran rampant through South America, Africa, and Asia.
In 1967, the Intensified Eradication Program began. Instead of petering out quickly, this effort was successful in eradicating smallpox. This was because of a number of new inventions and processes, including:
- The bifurcated needle
- New, higher-quality freeze-dried vaccines
- Surveillance systems to track cases
- Mass vaccination campaigns
Today, smallpox is effectively eradicated to the point where we no longer need to be vaccinated. However, the danger of the disease has not completely ceased. Military personnel are sometimes vaccinated against smallpox in case it is used for bioterrorism. Regardless, the eradication of smallpox is one of the greatest achievements of mankind, and the development of the vaccine saved millions of people.
Although vaccination can be hugely effective at providing protection against disease, injuries and complications can occur. At Vaccination Industry Lawyers, we help those across the country that have been injured by vaccines receive compensation. Our attorneys specialize in immunization and vaccine injury law and will represent you in your vaccine injury claim. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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