Smallpox has been called one of the most devastating diseases known to humanity. It spread easily and quickly, being highly contagious. One could acquire the disease from simple face to face interaction, contaminated objects, or touching infected body fluids or scabs. The disease traveled through war, exploration, and migration. It’s reported to have killed around 75% of the Aztecs, Incas, and New World Indians after European’s arrival in the Americas. Smallpx was identifiable by its small postules that would cover anywhere from one section of a limb to an entire body, and would leave crater-like scars over the skin, that is, if the individual survived.
Living during a smallpox epidemic would be absolutely terrifying. I don’t think I’d be tough to handle being around the death, the smell, the visuals of the disease, or losing friends or family to the disease. I couldn’t imagine having or seeing the pain of the rashes, blisters, scabs and bumps covering the body. The disease also causes vomiting, of blood, fever, and even loss of eye sight. Living around this would be both emotionally and physically taxing, whether a witness to or a victim of the disease. Even thinking about putting myself in this situation makes me cringe and hurt.
In the 12th century, treatment and prevention options for the “Speckled Monster” included heat or cold therapy, leeches or bloodletting, fasting, laxatives, purgatives, and diuretics (slide 50 power point). In the late 19th century, red light treatment was used, as the color red was believed to heal infected individuals faster. In the 18th century, inoculation, or variolation, and vaccination began to be used as confrontation to smallpox. Treatments of “dubious nature” were mostly ineffective, as they were all just speculations and had no real target. Inoculation allowed for a target, but, because it was mostly arm-to-arm treatment, also spread contagious blood diseases amongst groups of treated patients. Inoculations were a huge step in the right direction, despite the unsanitary methods. It became a social occasion, in which wealthy would throw inoculation parties where everyone would come to be inoculated together. One better hope no one in their friend group has a blood disease though. Vaccination, however was the safest option once it was discovered by Edward Jenner in 1796. By exposing individuals to cowpox, he learned they became resistant to smallpox inoculations, confirming immunity to disease. There’s no measure of how long this immunity lasts, however.
There were many people against vaccines, especially right after its discovery. Socially, people involved with inoculations feared unemployment as vaccinations became more popular. They viewed it as inoculation’s competition. Some people were also against these vaccinations because they believed that the disease was a way to reduce the poorer population. Religious folk argued that vaccinations interfered with God’s plan for His people. People also questioned the safety of vaccinations as well as the source, because it came from an animal. Numbers support the vaccination’s effectiveness. Countries that endorsed vaccination laws had lower mortality rates, along with less incidences/outbreaks comparatively.
Smallpox was eradicated using surveillance and containment in order to find all existing cases possible in order to vaccinate the victim and prevent the disease’s spread. In addition to vaccinating the victim, those around the victim were also quickly vaccinated to promote immunity to the gruesome disease. Methods of vaccination were made easy and cheap so anyone could perform it. Difficulties encountered by the medical professionals of this time included the lack of cooperation by some individuals of the time, along with defending themselves against rumors that the vaccination could be a trick to kill specific groups of people.
Even now, many people believe that vaccinations are a jip or solely a way for medical organizations to make money. Because they haven’t experienced the disease, or seen anyone else with the specific disease for that matter, they don’t see any point in vaccinating against it. Prescription drugs, however, are most likely different to people who think like this, as prescription drugs are a way of dealing with the “here and now,” and don’t see vaccinations as a legitimate option of prevention. Certain religious groups could also have problems towards both forms of medication if they believe so much that the medication would upset their God. There is also a trust issue between many individuals and their government health organizations, prompting them to distrust the vaccination. These people fail to believe that a vaccination is more about benefiting an entire population rather than just a single individual.
help received: class notes, power point