Jenner, Edward

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Jenner, Edward (1749–1823). Vaccination pioneer. As John Hunter's first house-pupil and dresser at St George's hospital (London), Jenner shared Hunter's disciplined observation and belief in experimentation, but chose to practise at home at Berkeley (Glos.), where he joined local medical groups and continued his interests in heart disease and natural history. He became obsessed with the idea that inoculation of cowpox matter (a mild contagious disease) was a better protection against the scourge of smallpox than using exudate from smallpox lesions. An initial paper having been rejected, he published privately An Inquiry into Cow-pox (1798), and very slowly the idea of ‘vaccination’ was popularized. World-wide recognition and honours ensued, but Jenner lost rather than gained financially, as he spent the remainder of his life in an ever-widening campaign to eradicate smallpox from the world. This was finally achieved in 1978.

A. S. Hargreaves

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