One of the most important inventions in human history is vaccine. Vaccine is used to stimulate the production of antibodies and help the body fight against one or several diseases. The invention of vaccines helps to save millions of lives and prevent the diseases from spreading. Edward Jenner is remembered as “Father of Immunology” because he was the first scientist to invent the vaccines for smallpox.
Smallpox is thought to be at least 3000 years old, and it has spread from Africa to India and China. Eventually, it turns into an epidemic in 31 countries by 1967. The virus is airborne and it attacks skin cells, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes. Approximately 30% of infected people died during the second week of infection. Infected ones
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Years before he became a physician, he had heard tales of dairymaids were somehow protected from smallpox by somehow suffering cowpox. Cowpox is a disease that infects cows, caused by a virus of the same family as smallpox virus. He then tested his theory of immune from cowpox may cause subsequent immune from smallpox on an eight-year-old boy named James Phipps. He used the matters from a dairymaid 's pustule to inoculate James. James experienced few days of fever and discomfort, but soon he felt better. Two months later, Jenner inoculated the boy again, but with matter from smallpox lesions. When the boy did not develop any diseases, Jenner concluded that the protection was complete.
Previously to Jenner’s discovery, there had been attempts to treat smallpox. Variolation was pretty common in places where epidemics happened. However, Jenner was the first one to successfully create a vaccine for smallpox. In addition to treating smallpox, Edward Jenner brought hope that this disease that affected 60% of the world’s population can be controlled. In 1967, World Health Organization launched a massive campaign to eradicate this deadly disease completely. The discovery and promotion of this vaccine helped save lives. His vaccines were later further developed by his