Misconceptions about Edward Jenner and the Eradication of Smallpox

In the 18 th century smallpox was a scourge that infected 60% and killed 10% of England's population. On May 14, 1796 a young English doctor persuaded a local farmer to allow his 8 yr‐old son, James Phipps, to be infected, first with cowpox, then with smallpox. The boy did develop cowpox but was resistant to smallpox. The boy was the first to be “vaccinated” until 1979, when the World Health Organization declared smallpox eradicated. There are several misconceptions about this story. Edward Jenner was not the first to use cowpox to prevent smallpox. Other doctors in England were doing the same, but Jenner brought attention to this procedure. He self‐published his results after his original paper was rejected. His experiments seem unethical. Actually, his procedures were not unusual for his times. Even today his work would pose an interesting risk/benefit dilemma. Jenner remained friends with James, who was a pall bearer at his funeral. Jenner theorized the virus started with an infected horse hoof disease. Later it was discovered that the virus passes from rodent to cat to cow to milkmaid. Jenner was a small country doctor, astute but with little education. Jenner, from a prestigious family, apprenticed with a local doctor at the age of 13 for seven years. He then trained in medicine at St. George's Hospital in London. After 2 years he returned home to became a gentleman doctor and well‐known naturalist. Lack of medical diploma was not unusual, with only two official medical schools in England. Smallpox is eradicated. The virus does exist today, in frozen vials stored in Atlanta and Moscow. The virus is preserved to develop vaccines in case the virus reappears or is unleased by terrorists.