Considering the extremely tenuous eighteenth century beginnings of the procedure, vaccination, it’s astounding that it’s still used. Also remarkable is the fact that it wasn’t until 1979, almost two centuries after Edward Jenner’s filthy experiments, that we discontinued smallpox vaccinations.
Although he’s considered a hero by those who haven’t investigated his history, it’s a great pity Jenner was allowed to experiment on innocent, naive humans. His first experiments using pus from cowpox sores elicited results which varied from absence of smallpox to contraction of smallpox and tuberculosis and syphilis. Although the result for young James Phipps, his first test subject, appeared to be a positive one, both Phipps and Jenner’s son who was also one of Jenner’s subjects, died of tuberculosis before they reached the age of 22.
Ironically, perhaps it was man’s desire to validate the supremacy of human intellect that drove continued experimentation. Ensuing worldwide deaths and injuries of many hundreds of millions due to smallpox vaccination were apparently ignored. And even though fewer than 10% of the world’s population ever received smallpox vaccine and the cleanliness of our living conditions exceeds by light years that of the eighteenth to early-twentieth century, we’re told it was the vaccine that eradicated smallpox.
Related VCC Articles
- American Nurses Association Asks President To Delay Smallpox Vaccination Plans (11/27/2008)
- Smallpox, the Disease and Its Vaccine (11/27/2008)
- Smallpox – A Historical Perspective (10/2/2008)
- Smallpox – Media Release (10/22/2001)
Related External Smallpox Articles & Links:
- NVIC on Smallpox Vaccine & The Disease
- Vaccination Liberation Index of Smallpox Article: Index of information about Smallpox and the Smallpox vaccine.
- A collection of articles on the history and dangers of smallpox vaccine
- CDC Public Forum on Smallpox, held June 8, 2002 – report by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny
- Dr. Mercola on Smallpox Vaccine
