Edward Jenner And Vaccination Flashcards
How did inoculation become popular in England?
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu watched inoculation carried out in turkey where her husband was British ambassador. She had the method carried out on her daughter in England in front of important doctors during a smallpox epidemic. It soon became rapidly popular and saw as a sign of prestige to be inoculated.
What were the names of the brother who became very wealthy through carrying out thousands of inoculations?
Robert and Daniel Sutton
What were the dangers of inoculation?
The person inoculated could get a strong dose of smallpox and die.
The person inoculated could pass smallpox onto someone else.
Most people could not afford inoculation and so were not protected.
Describe how inoculation was used to stop people catching smallpox in China, Asia and Africa in the 1700s.
This involved spreading pus from a smallpox pustule into a cut in the skin of a healthy person. Sometimes the person would catch a mild dose of smallpox but then recover and not catch it again- their body had developed antibodies against smallpox. However, it was also possible to contract a severe case of smallpox and die.
Who was Edward Jenner (1749-1823)?
A country doctor from Berkeley, Gloucestershire.
At age 13, he was an apprentice to a surgeon for 6 years, and then studied with john hunter, the greatest surgeon of the time.
What factors helped Edward Jenner in developing vaccination?
Enquiry Attitudes- Jenner followed Hunter’s advice (observe patients carefully and experiment to test ideas) and tested the connection between smallpox and cowpox, collecting evidence.
Communications- Jenner published his account of the discovery in 1798, spreading details of his methods worldwide.
Government- In 1802 and 1807 parliament gave Jenner £30,000 to develop his work and in 1852, vaccination was made compulsory.
Individual Genius- Insight to realise importance of link between smallpox and cowpox and determination to carry on despite opposition and criticism.
What evidence is there of the method of vaccination spreading worldwide?
By 1803 it was being used in the USA.
In 1805 Napoleon had the whole of the french army vaccinated.
What factors hindered Jenner’s development of vaccination?
Attitudes- conservatism.
Religion- still believed that disease was sent from god.
Vested interests
Government- didn’t intervene enough (laissez-faire) early on.
What were the long term impacts on medicine as a result of Jenner’s discoveries?
Example of experiment and enquiry and showed that a killer disease could be beaten, encouraging other doctors and scientists to solve medical problems.
Used worldwide.
Vaccination made compulsory in Britain in 1852, leading to a significant reduction in deaths.
In 1980 smallpox was declared eradicated from the world.
What were the limitations to Jenner’s discoveries?
Many people opposed vaccination and an Anti-Vaccine league was set up in 1866.
Governments could not decide how much to force people to be healthier.
Jenner did not know that germs cause disease so did not know exactly how vaccination worked. Therefore it was nit possible to learn from this discovery how to prevent the spread of other diseases.
In the later 1800s other factors played a part in keeping people healthier, such as clean water supplies, cleaner housing and a better diet.
What opposition was there to vaccination?
The Royal Society thought that the idea was too revolutionary and refused to publish Jenner’s book.
Some people thought it was against gods will to give people an animal disease, whilst others thought that smallpox was a punishment for sin and cures should be sought from god.
Governments could not decide how much to force people to be healthier. When vaccination was not compulsory death rates rose, but many didn’t want the government interfering with their lives.
Inoculators lost business as a result of vaccination. An Anti-Vaccine league was set up in 1866.
People didn’t was to believe the ideas of an unknown country doctor.
