Smallpox: The First Vaccine

Smallpox, a deadly contagious disease, was first reported in 1600 BC. It caused severe symptoms and had a high fatality rate. Edward Jenner discovered in 1796 that cowpox could immunize against smallpox, but his idea was initially dismissed. By the 1950s, smallpox was still widespread, with millions of cases annually. In 1967, the WHO initiated a global eradication campaign using a vaccine similar to Jenner's. The campaign succeeded, and smallpox was declared eradicated in 1979, having caused hundreds of millions of deaths in the 20th century. Jenner's vaccine ultimately stopped the spread of this deadly disease.

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