PLPA 2003 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Edward Jenner, Variolation, Macrophage
Document Summary
Smallpox history (neolithic: first recorded outbreak: 1350 bce, egyptian-hittite war, ramses v (1145 bce) first victim. Killed 20-50% of city: 18th century, 400k europeans per year, 20th century, 300-500 million dead total, 1980 declared eradicated! Variola minor (mortality 1%: spread via respiratory droplets. Also associated cult that actively spread disease 1900s. Historic treatments: leaches and bleeding, heat treatments, red therapy. Children would inhale dried smallpox scans and gain immunity: 17th century smallpox scabs and gain immunity. Greeks and turks would insert live serum from pox under the skin: 1721, mary montagu wife of english ambassador brought this information back to england. Resisted by many physicians for having foreign origins. Patient would suffer through less severe case but gain immunity. Likely involved a weakened version of the virus: however 2-3% mortality rate, could also spark new smallpox epidemics. Variolation in american revolutionary war: british solders immune to smallpox. American were not: general washington prohibited variolation until 1777.
