World’s First Vaccine
In the village of Gloucestershire in 18th century England, a mysterious event occurred. The farmers, cattle builders, and milkmaids working there never contracted smallpox. In 1795, Doctor Edward Jenner, wanted to investigate this. When he talked to the people of the village, the villagers told him that those who contracted Cowpox, do not contract smallpox. Cowpox was another disease. But not as deadly as smallpox. Jenner wondered if catching cowpox was prevention against smallpox.
If so, it could be a simple solution to prevent smallpox. There was only one way to test this. By running experiments and collecting proofs. In May 1796, a woman named Sarah, who was infected with Cowpox, went to Dr Edward Jenner for treatment. Dr Jenner drew out the pus from her boils, and stored it. This was his chance to test his theory. But on whom could he test it? Someone had to be the host.
Dr Jenner’s gardener had an 8-year-old son James, Jenner called the child and pricked his hand, and intentionally infected him with Cowpox. Days later, the child caught fever due to Cowpox. But he recovered. Six weeks later, Dr Jenner, took lesions from smallpox, and then infected the child with smallpox.
