4. significance of vaccination Flashcards
(11 cards)
Who pioneered the development of vaccination?
Edward Jenner.
What major infectious disease did vaccination first effectively prevent?
Smallpox.
What was the impact of smallpox before vaccination?
It was a terrifying and widespread killer, causing millions of deaths and disfigurements.
What was ‘inoculation,’ and what was its main risk?
Giving a mild dose of smallpox to gain immunity; it was risky and could cause serious illness or death.
What observation did Jenner make that led to his discovery?
That milkmaids who caught cowpox didn’t get smallpox.
In what year did Jenner test his theory, and on whom?
In 1796, on a boy named James Phipps.
Why was Jenner’s method of using cowpox significant?
It offered a safe and effective way to prevent smallpox without the dangers of traditional inoculation.
What key principle did vaccination establish for future medicine?
Using a weakened or similar disease to create immunity.
What major global health achievement resulted from smallpox vaccination?
Its global eradication (the first disease ever wiped out by human intervention).
Which other famous scientist was inspired by Jenner’s work, and what did he develop?
Louis Pasteur, who developed other vaccines (e.g., for anthrax and rabies).
What was the immediate, short-term, and long-term significance of Edward Jenner’s work on vaccination?
Immediate: Provided the first safe and effective way to prevent smallpox (using cowpox), offering a direct alternative to dangerous inoculation.
Short-term: Gradually led to the widespread adoption of vaccination as a public health measure in many countries, significantly reducing smallpox cases and deaths.
Long-term: Established the principle of artificial immunity, inspired the development of other vaccines (like by Pasteur), and eventually led to the global eradication of smallpox, transforming public health and preventive medicine forever.
