Peter C. Doherty

This year, 1996, has been designated the 'Year of the Vaccine,' commemorating the 200th anniversary of Edward Jenner's vaccination of James Phipps with cowpox virus and subsequent challenge with smallpox virus. Insight into the nature of viruses, and how viruses interact with mammalian cells, has evolved since the turn of the century.

Australian Scientist

Edward Jenner

I hope that some day the practice of producing cowpox in human beings will spread over the world - when that day comes, there will be no more smallpox.

English Scientist

Cowpox played a key role in developing the first vaccine, an important medical milestone.

Historical Importance

Cowpox is rare today, but it's historically significant for understanding diseases and vaccines.

Rare Disease

Cowpox spreads from animals to humans, not usually between humans, a zoonotic disease.

Transmission Clarity

 Unlike variolation, which used actual smallpox virus to try to protect people, vaccination used the far less dangerous cowpox virus. The medical establishment, cautious then as now, deliberated at length over his findings before accepting them. But eventually vaccination was gradually accepted

How we conquered the...

 whereas everybody else had pockmarks from having gotten over smallpox. And the concept was that she was getting infected with a zoonosis, that is, with naturally occurring cowpox, not smallpox. That then protected against smallpox.