Sarah Bennett
Edward Jenner is known for his innovative contribution to the development of the smallpox vaccine and the ultimate eradication of smallpox. In May 1796, Jenner inoculated 8-year-old James Phipps with matter from a cowpox sore, and Phipps went on to make a full recovery. Two months later, Jenner inoculated Phipps with smallpox, and he did not develop the disease. This was the first successful demonstration of a vaccine, and the technique of introducing material under the skin to produce protection against disease became known as vaccination, derived from the Latin word for cow, 'vacca'. Jenner's work represented the first scientific attempt to control an infectious disease through vaccination, and he spent much of his life supplying cowpox material to others around the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of development | May 1796 |
| First test subject | 8-year-old James Phipps |
| Date of first successful vaccination | July 1796 |
| Date of death | 26 January 1823 |
| Age at death | 73 |
| Birth year | 1749 |
| Birthplace | Berkeley, England |
| Occupation | Physician |
| Awards and honours | Freedom of London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Dublin; £10,000 from the British government in 1802, and a further £20,000 in 1807 |
| Eradication of smallpox | 1977 |
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What You'll Learn
Edward Jenner's observation of milkmaids
In May 1796, Edward Jenner developed the world's first vaccine, using material from a cowpox sore on the hand of a local milkmaid named Sarah Nelmes. He then inoculated eight-year-old James Phipps with the matter, and the boy fell ill with cowpox but soon recovered. Two months later, Jenner inoculated Phipps with smallpox matter, and the boy remained in perfect health. This was the first successful vaccination.
Jenner's interest in vaccination began during his childhood. As an apprentice to a country surgeon, Jenner heard a milkmaid say that having cowpox made her immune to smallpox. This interaction, as recounted in an 1837 biography, would inspire Jenner's later work. However, some historians have questioned the veracity of this story, suggesting that it was likely invented by Jenner's first biographer, John Baron, to protect Jenner's reputation.
Regardless, Jenner's development of the smallpox vaccine was influenced by his observation that milkmaids, who occasionally contracted cowpox from cows, rarely developed smallpox. He hypothesized that exposure to cowpox, a relatively mild disease, could protect against smallpox, a far deadlier disease. Jenner's theory was informed by his own experience with variolation (an early form of immunization) as a boy and his knowledge of country-lore, which suggested a link between cowpox and immunity to smallpox.
In 1796, Jenner had the opportunity to test his theory when Sarah Nelmes, a local milkmaid, consulted him about a rash on her hand. He diagnosed her with cowpox, which she confirmed was transmitted by one of her cows. Jenner then took material from her cowpox sore and transferred it to James Phipps, the eight-year-old son of his gardener. This was the first time Jenner vaccinated a person, and his hypothesis was proven correct.
Jenner's discovery of vaccination set in motion the worldwide eradication of smallpox. Despite initial skepticism and challenges with the supply of the vaccine, it gained acceptance and spread rapidly. By 1800, vaccination had reached most European countries, and mandatory smallpox vaccination was implemented in Britain and parts of the United States in the 1840s and 1850s. Global solidarity in the fight against smallpox was achieved in the mid-1900s, and the World Health Organization declared the world free of smallpox in 1980.
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The first smallpox vaccine
For centuries, smallpox was a devastating disease that killed hundreds of millions of people and left survivors with permanent harm, including blindness and infertility. In 1796, Dr. Edward Jenner developed the world's first vaccine, using the same principle as variolation but with a less dangerous viral source, cowpox.
Jenner's development of the smallpox vaccine was inspired by local beliefs and practices in rural communities that cowpox protected against smallpox. He observed that milkmaids, who often caught cowpox from cows, never seemed to contract smallpox. Intrigued by this, Jenner tested his hypothesis by vaccinating an eight-year-old boy, James Phipps, with matter from a cowpox sore on the hand of a local milkmaid, Sarah Nelmes. Phipps developed cowpox and felt unwell for several days but made a full recovery. Two months later, in July 1796, Jenner inoculated Phipps with matter from a human smallpox sore, and Phipps remained in perfect health, becoming the first person to be vaccinated against smallpox.
Jenner's work represented the first scientific attempt to control an infectious disease through deliberate vaccination. While he was not the first to suggest that infection with cowpox conferred immunity to smallpox, he was the first to confer scientific status on the procedure and pursue its scientific investigation. Despite initial skepticism and criticism from some of his contemporaries, Jenner's discovery gained support, and by 1800, vaccination had spread to most European countries.
In the following years, Jenner continued his research and experiments, publishing his findings in 1798 in a book titled 'An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae; a Disease Discovered in some of the Western Counties of England, Particularly Gloucestershire, and Known by the Name of The Cow Pox'. He also spent much of his life supplying cowpox material to others worldwide and discussing related scientific matters. In recognition of his contributions, the British government awarded him monetary compensation in 1802 and 1807. The term "vaccine" was later coined, derived from the Latin word for cow, "vacca," in honour of Jenner's groundbreaking work.
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The spread of vaccination
In May 1796, Dr Edward Jenner created the world's first vaccine. He inoculated 8-year-old James Phipps with matter from a cowpox sore on the hand of a local milkmaid, Sarah Nelmes. Phipps felt unwell for several days but made a full recovery. Two months later, Jenner inoculated Phipps with matter from a human smallpox sore, and the boy remained in perfect health. He was the first person to be vaccinated against smallpox.
Despite some opposition from fellow doctors, many of whom were sceptical of his novel medical practice, Jenner's work soon gained recognition. In 1798, he published his research into smallpox in a book entitled 'An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae'. In the following two years, he published the results of further experiments, which confirmed his original theory that cowpox did indeed protect against smallpox.
The use of vaccination spread rapidly in England, and by 1800, it had reached most European countries. In 1802, in recognition of his work, the British government awarded Jenner £10,000, and a further £20,000 in 1807. Jenner spent much of the rest of his life supplying cowpox material to others around the world. He also developed techniques for taking matter from human cowpox pocks and drying it onto threads or glass so that it could be transported.
In 1840s and 1850s, mandatory smallpox vaccination came into effect in Britain and parts of the United States of America, as well as in other parts of the world, leading to the establishment of the smallpox vaccination certificates required for travel. While some European regions eliminated the disease by 1900, smallpox was still ravaging continents and areas under colonial rule, with over 2 million people dying every year.
In 1958, the World Health Assembly received a report of the catastrophic consequences of smallpox in 63 countries. In 1967, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its campaign to eradicate smallpox worldwide, aiming to vaccinate every person in the areas at risk. Teams of vaccinators from all over the world journeyed to the remotest communities. In 1980, the WHO formally declared: "Smallpox is dead!". The biggest scourge of all time had been eradicated, fulfilling a prediction that Edward Jenner had made in 1801.
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Global eradication of smallpox
In May 1796, Edward Jenner demonstrated the world's first vaccine, using the same principle as variolation but with a less dangerous viral source: cowpox. He inoculated eight-year-old James Phipps with matter from a cowpox sore on the hand of a local milkmaid, Sarah Nelmes. Phipps had a mild reaction to the cowpox matter and recovered fully. Two months later, Jenner inoculated Phipps with matter from a human smallpox sore, and the boy did not contract the disease. This was the first successful vaccination against smallpox.
Jenner's work is widely regarded as the foundation of immunology. It represented the first scientific attempt to control an infectious disease through vaccination. Despite facing opposition from some of his contemporaries, Jenner's discovery was soon put into practice. By 1800, vaccination had spread to most European countries, and mandatory smallpox vaccination was implemented in Britain and parts of the United States in the 1840s and 1850s.
The process of worldwide smallpox eradication was initiated in 1958 when the World Health Assembly received a report detailing the catastrophic consequences of smallpox in 63 countries. In 1966, the World Health Assembly voted for a special budget to eliminate smallpox globally, and the following year, a global campaign was launched under the World Health Organization (WHO). This campaign involved universal childhood immunization programs, mass vaccination, and targeted surveillance-containment strategies.
The last known natural case of smallpox was in Somalia in 1977, and in 1980, the WHO officially declared the world free of smallpox. This marked the first and only infectious disease to be eradicated globally, a remarkable public health success. The WHO continues to preserve the archives of the Smallpox Eradication Programme and maintains a stockpile of vaccines as an emergency reserve. While smallpox has been eradicated, public health authorities remain vigilant about the potential use of the variola virus in biological attacks.
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The legacy of Edward Jenner
Edward Jenner's work in the latter part of the 18th century laid the groundwork for contemporary vaccination techniques and represented a crucial moment in the battle against contagious diseases. Jenner's legacy is memorialized by several statues and memorials, showcasing his profound impact on public health and the advancement of immunology and vaccine development.
Jenner's work is widely regarded as the foundation of immunology, and his establishment of vaccination principles laid the groundwork for vaccine development against a wide array of infectious diseases. The ongoing application of these principles in vaccine development highlights Jenner’s lasting legacy and underscores the importance of his work in advancing human health and combating diseases. Initiatives, such as the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and routine childhood vaccination schedules, reflect the profound impact of Jenner’s work. Vaccination programs have significantly reduced and, in some cases, eliminated the incidence of diseases that once caused widespread morbidity and mortality.
Jenner's discovery of the link between cowpox pus and smallpox in humans helped him to create the smallpox vaccine. In May 1796, Jenner inoculated 8-year-old James Phipps with matter from a cowpox sore on the hand of Sarah Nelmes, a local milkmaid. Phipps reacted to the cowpox matter and felt unwell for several days but made a full recovery. Two months later, in July 1796, Jenner took matter from a human smallpox sore and inoculated Phipps with it to test his resistance. Phipps remained in perfect health, the first person to be vaccinated against smallpox.
Jenner's work represented the first scientific attempt to control an infectious disease by the deliberate use of vaccination. In 1802, Jenner was granted £10,000 for his work on vaccination, and in 1807, he was granted another £20,000 after the Royal College of Physicians confirmed the widespread efficacy of vaccination. Over time, standardization corrected errors, and a National Vaccine Board was formed to oversee the collection and administration of vaccination lymph. Jenner was originally appointed the head of this board, but when his nominated list of subordinates was almost totally blocked, he quit.
Jenner's legacy is also reflected in the numerous medical schools, hospitals, and awards worldwide that bear his name. In addition, a group of villages in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, was named in his honour by early 19th-century English settlers, including Jenners, Jenner Township, Jenner Crossroads, and Jennerstown. The Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research is an infectious disease vaccine research centre, and the Jenner Institute is part of the University of Oxford. A section at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is known as the Edward Jenner Unit, and a ward at Northwick Park Hospital is called the Jenner Ward.
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Frequently asked questions
In May 1796, Edward Jenner successfully tested his hypothesis that inoculating someone with cowpox would protect them from smallpox.
Jenner inoculated an eight-year-old boy, James Phipps, with matter from a cowpox sore on the hand of a local milkmaid, Sarah Nelmes. Phipps fell ill for several days but made a full recovery. Two months later, Jenner inoculated Phipps with matter from a human smallpox sore, and Phipps did not develop the disease.
In 1798, Jenner published his research in a book titled 'An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae'. Despite initial scepticism and controversy, the use of vaccination spread rapidly in England and by 1800, it had reached most European countries. In 1802, the British Government awarded Jenner £10,000 in recognition of his work.
Jenner is credited with creating the world's first successful vaccine. However, he was not the first person to suggest that infection with cowpox conferred immunity to smallpox. In 1774, Benjamin Jesty made a breakthrough by testing this hypothesis, and there has been growing recognition of Benjamin Mestley (1737-1816) as the first person to vaccinate against smallpox.
