What Was Smallpox?
Smallpox was an infectious viral disease, which was evident for centuries in places with poor sanitation, poverty, and malnutrition. Hundreds of thousands died, and there was no cure. The infectious agent was Orthopox variola. [2] By the end of the 18th century the disease was following the natural course: burning itself out on the human population, confining itself to those with the lowest immune capabilities. Smallpox was the first disease for which vaccination was tried. It all started with Edward Jenner at the end of the 1700s. The story that we find in 99% of standard references is that Jenner’s vaccine saved the world from the dread smallpox, which had plagued the human race for centuries. Mass inoculation programs were instituted in many countries worldwide, usually backed by the government. The vaccine supposedly immunized the people for life. If the legend starts to sound a little whitewashed, there’s a reason why. So let’s start at the beginning. Edward Jenner as you may reme
