Gerald:
Thank you for answering my post and bringing up an interesting angle about Jenners work.
Yes, I agree. Mr. Benjamin Jesty and probably many other farmers of the area had performed
successful vaccinations on themselves and members of their families in order to protect them from
smallpox. It was a popular believe among farmers, sustained by years of observation, that when
milkmaids were affected with cowpox, they wouldnt get sick with smallpox. Jenner was aware of this
fact as were many other physicians of the area. Most of them thought that the farmers believe was
peoples superstition. Jenner thought differently and repeatedly talked to his colleagues about it.
Apparently he was so persistent that the local Medical Society threatened to expel him unless he
stopped talking about it.
I agree in that Jenner didnt discover vaccination. Thats why I wrote in my first article: ... Jenner...
demonstrated for the first time that it was possible to induce protection against a dangerous disease
through immunization. I think his merit was to go one step forward and scientifically confirm the popular
observations that a cowpox infection (mostly mild in humans) protected against smallpox, a dangerous
disease that killed about 40% of the infected people. On May 14 1796 Jenner did the following
experiment. He transferred cowpox matter from a pustule on the hand of the milkmaid Sarah Nelmes
to the arms of an eight-year-old boy named James Phipps, who had never had smallpox . After 4-6
weeks, Jenner transferred smallpox matter to the boy and observed him for a few weeks for the
appearance of smallpox signs. James Phipps did not get smallpox. Jenner inoculated him for a second
time with smallpox matter, and Phipps did not get sick with smallpox. After James Phipps, Jenner
vaccinated many others with cowpox matter, and challenged them with smallpox. Neither of them got
sick with smallpox.
On 1796 Jenner scientifically demonstrated for the first time what farmers already knew for a long time.
A mild cowpox infection will protect against smallpox, the red death. Jenners demonstration was
followed by lots of controversy, until these days, but also was the beginning of the long way toward the
eradication of smallpox, the birth of Immunology, and the development of many other vaccines used
today.
Finally, I think Jenner deserves recognition for his drive and perseverance in standing up for
vaccination during years of attempts to discredit or deny the value of the procedure.
********************************
Ana Maria Soler-Rodriguez
arodri03 at interserv.com
********************************