In our current society, vaccines significantly impact our daily lives regarding COVID vaccination, flu vaccination and many more. It is now mandatory and important in our human history to support humans’ longevity and health by increasing the quality of life. It was interesting to see each step of development in the science industry and human generation by discovering vaccines in history. I hope you can dive in with me about some significant moments of vaccination history.
First Vaccine: The Small Pox Vaccine
Our first vaccines came from Edward Jenner in 1796. He was the first to experiment with a method to protect against smallpox in scientific aspects. Edward Jenner is often called the father of vaccines. Scientific approace of Edward Jenner proved the method worked but he didn’t invent the method.
Jenner’s testing method was about taking material from a blister from someone infected with cowpox. Then, he inoculated it into another person’s skin (arm-to-arm inoculation). However, large-scale vaccine production was possible from scientific knowledge that had developed enough by the late 1940s.
The vaccines that protect against pertussis (1914), diphtheria (1926), and tetanus (1938), also known as the routinely recommended vaccines, were developed early in the 20th century. Then, in 1948, the DTP vaccine was invented, combining the three vaccines above.
Polio Vaccine, Everyone Was Waiting for it!
Polio epidemics used to scare parents as parents kept their children away from swimming pools, sent them to stay with relatives in the country, and clamoured because of polio. They were desperate for the vaccine as they closely followed vaccine trials and sent dimes to the White House to help the cause. Then, in 1955, its inventor, Jonas Salk, became an overnight hero, and the country was celebrated.
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella:
MMR vaccine is one of the most common live attenuated vaccines today. Although originally designed as three separate vaccines, attenuated strains of measles, mumps, and rubella. Dr. Maurice Hilleman combined these three vaccines into the MMR vaccine in 1971. It continues to be used to provide protective immunity against pathogens(an organism causing the disease to its host) responsible for what was once considered a common childhood disease.
These exciting moments impacted our history regarding the human race’s health care. If you want to find out more information about the history of vaccination, feel free to check out these sites:
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