Prompt 2:Smallpox: Quack Treatments as Well as Effective Treatments
As smallpox progressed and killed many, people started turning to any remedy or treatment possible. Examples of early, but futile, remedies were bloodletting, leeches, fasting, laxatives, purgatives, diuretics, heat/sweat therapy, and cold therapy. Similar to the black plague, many of these remedies were used because medicine was not very advanced, but people believed them to be effective. In addition to these treatments, ceremonies to appease the Goddess of Smallpox was publicly held since many turned to religion for answers. More so, many Gods and Goddesses were worshipped as a means to try and end the spread of the disease. For example, in Hindu culture, the Goddess Shitala was worshipped and in Japanese culture Red Treatment was used through wall hangings/art. Red treatment was the idea that heat therapy worked so anything red like fire would get rid of smallpox (red clothes, red walls, open fire). This treatment started in Japan and continued to be used in Europe. Another practice of defense against smallpox was inoculation which meant “giving eyes.” This was punctures put in areas of the skin and believed to cure smallpox since some random cases of it had worked. This practice was furthered continued by Sutton who made modifications for them to be further accepted in England (1760’s). His modifications included smaller incisions, less preparation time, insolation of inoculees, and simultaneous inoculation of groups.
A truly effective treatment was introduced in 1796 when Edward Jenner discovered a smallpox vaccine. Jenner had been inoculated at age 8 and was studying to become a surgeon. As for his vaccination, he had collected milkmaids who had cowpox and were resistance to the smallpox inoculation. The responses Jenner got for his vaccine were positive and grateful, referring to it as a precious discovery. Even though most were positive responses, some objections still remained, including: that smallpox reduces the poor population, that the vaccine interferes with God’s plan, and uncertainty about its safety. Another problem with the vaccination that remained was the chance of other bloods diseases being spread by use of the arm-to-arm method. In countries that had compulsory vaccine laws, lower mortalities were seen, however, many countries still protested these laws. Many people believed it was considered cruel and inhumane to have a law requiring vaccines since many believed them to be unsafe.
In order to officially eradicate smallpox, many surveillance and containment efforts were used by medical professionals and scientists. For one, propaganda posters were enforced in many areas to influence people to willingly get the vaccination. These scientists and medical professionals kept an eye on where in the world outbreaks were still occurring once people began obeying the need to get vaccinated. For example, Canada was recorded to become smallpox free in 1944 while small outbreaks still remained in the U.S. due to imports. Luckily, the few outbreaks scared much of the nation into pursuing vaccination to avoid the disease, therefore containing it to small outbreaks that eventually died down. More so, potent vaccinations were being used for tropical climates in the 1950’s to contain the disease. Selective control methods were further implicated as the disease dwindled down rather than mass vaccination. This meant scientists were finding specific cases of people and then vaccinating all those they had contact with. Eventually easy to use needles known as Bifurcated Needles, came out, making it much more practical and simpler for anyone to inject the vaccine anywhere. This helped to further contain the disease since people desiring the vaccine, did not have to go out of their way to find it. Finally, with the last case of smallpox appearing in Jenner’s homeland due to its escape from a research facility, smallpox became eradicated. However, the U.S. still has enough vaccination for each citizen in case of an emergency outbreak.
References
Sherman, I.W. (2017). The Power of Plagues (2nded.). Washington, D.C.: ASM Press.
PowerPoint: Smallpox- The Speckled Monster
In class handouts