The Eradication of Smallpox: Edward Jenner and The First and Only Eradication of a Human Infectious Disease

by Hevre Bazin

Simply, and with great humanity, The Eradication of Smallpox tells the story of smallpox - it's origins, the horror of the disease, and the millions of people killed or disfigured by it. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it is estimated that one out of every ten people died from the disease; some say one out of every seven. Smallpox attacked very young children in particular. The story progresses with the practice of variolation, the life of Edward Jenner who first proposed 'vaccination' with cow pox vaccine (little James Phipps was the first person ever vaccinated in this way), the years of debate about the efficacy of this novel method, and the later worldwide initiatives to rid the planet of this horrific disease. In 1979, the story culminates in the only total eradication of an infectious disease that mankind has ever accomplished. This year celebrates the 20th anniversary of this momentous achievement. In the intervening years, debate has raged about what we should do with the remaining smallpox viral stocks. Do we destroy them, so they can't fall into the hands of bioterrorists, or do we maintain them, in case they may be of use in some unexpected way, for therapeutic purposes? These questions are thoroughly discussed in the book.

Genres: Disease

246 pages, Hardcover

First published January 19, 2000

Reviews

[Chloe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very engaging writing and a good overview of the history of smallpox eradication, though it really seems to focus on the development of the vaccine and its historical implication rather than the actual eradication efforts that took place in the 20th century. I thought it was pretty well written and a good overview up until the last couple chapters. I will admit I probably have a different perspective reading this in 2024, but Bazin pretty strongly defends Jenners use of children in his experiments. I understand that this could be considered a norm of the time and might not seem especially shocking considering the historical context, but I think it is entirely possible to criticize historical figures while acknowledging the good that they did and the historical context of the time. My biggest criticism of the book is that it brushes over the ethics associated with the discovery of vaccination, the testing and implementations of this vaccine, and some of the dubious morals associated with the actual smallpox eradication movement. All of this is nuanced of course but it does warrant discussion. Additionally, there are quite a few racist phrases and sentiments that are brushed over.

[Tajh]

boarinig just something to read