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Ethan Fisher

Mosaics

9/24/2015

Edward Jenner

Without Edward Jenner the world would be completely different. As the father of

vaccination, he is responsible for the incredible leap in medical technology and

knowledge on disease prevention. Without vaccinations our lives would be much

shorter and tougher. Before Jenner's discovery, Small Pox was a big and deadly

infectious disease that throughout history has wiped out populations that came in

contact with it. Jenner noticed that cow maids were immune to Small Pox. He took this

idea and hypothesized that Cowpox could be used to cure Smallpox through

inoculation. Although inoculation wasn’t a knew practice it needed to be redesigned due

to how troublesome and dangerous it was. The old method of inoculation used a small

dose of Small Pox which proved extremely dangerous because it can lead to a full

blown infection of Small Pox. Through Jenner's studies and experiments he was able to

conclude that Cow Pox, a lesser form of Small Pox, can be used to develop

immunization against Small Pox. It is through his methods of treatment that we treat

most infectious diseases today. If Jenner was alive in the past would he have been able

to stop other deadly contagious diseases of history? The Black Death or bubonic plague

was an infectious disease that ravished its way across Europe during the Dark ages.

People at the time where horrified because they had no idea how the deadly disease

spread from person to person. Today we now know that it was caused by a flea bite

that made its way to England through shipping and trade. Using Jenner's theory of

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vaccination with Charles L. Mee Jr.’s writings on the plague, we will see if Jenner’s

theory can be used to prevent the plague without adverse effects

Jenner’s scientific observations saved countless amounts of lives. He is credited

for saving the most lives out of any other human being. Imagine if he was alive during

the emergence of Bubonic plague and how many other lives he could have saved.

Using Edward Jenner’s theory we should be able to see if a vaccine for bubonic plague

could be a reality. Jenner explains “Morbid matter of various kinds, when absorbed into

the system, may produce effects in some degree similar; but what renders the cow-pox

virus so extremely singular is that the person who has been thus affected is forever after

secure from the infection of the smallpox; neither exposure to the variolous effluvia, nor

the insertion of the matter into the skin, producing this distemper” (Jenner 1). What

Jenner has come up with and explains in the quote, is an observation that the infected

fluid of cowpox can be inserted into an individual which will then give them immunity to

the more harmful version called smallpox. If he was to attempt the same task for the

plague he would have to find a lesser version of black death in another animal and

know what animal caused it. Charles L. Mee Jr. talks about the organism that caused

the black death “The flea had a gut full of the bacillus Yersinia pestis. The flea itself was

hardly bigger than the letter "o" on this page, but it could carry several hundred

thousand bacilli in its intestine” (Mee 1). If the flea was hard to find and a mystery to the

people suffering from the plague, then that makes it very unlike for Jenner to be able to

make a vaccine for plague.

Through observation, Jenner was able to better understand diseases like small

pox. This new found knowledge led to other discoveries which were documented

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through letters that were sent to his doctoral colleagues. Jenner was sent a letter which

told of a case where the patient infected had already had Small Pox and Cow Pox in the

past but was still not immune. Jenner Quickly responds to his friend in order to “point

out the fallacious sources from whence a disease imitative of the true variolæ vaccinæ

might arise” (Jenner). In this Quote he assumes that what the patient has might not be

Small Pox and that there are diseases that can replicate small pox to such a high

degree that it can be mistaken for it. He also touches apon how the disease, if taken

care of properly, can be kept alive. Jenner states “When the matter is taken from a fit

pustule and properly prepared for preservation, it may certainly be kept without losing its

specific properties a great length of time; for instance, when it is previously dried in the

open air on some compact body, as a quill or a piece of glass, and afterwards secured

in a small vial”(Jenner). This quote shows the power and strength of the disease. Not

only can it mutate into smaller but similar versions of the disease but it can be kept

alive. This is dangerous because if not taken care of properly the Small Pox bacteria

can mutate and infect another community as it travels. Jenner further explains the

diseases impact “But when kept several days in a state of moisture, and during that time

exposed to a warm temperature...the progress of the symptoms arising from the action

of the imperfect matter bear so strong a resemblance to the smallpox when excited

completely” (Jenner). The statement by Jenner demonstrates how the progression of

small pox in an incubated state can be detrimental especially if applied to the situation

of Bubonic Plague. Plague is already a more violent disease then small pox so

preserving it for study could be disastrous if it was not handled properly. A mutated form

of plague caused by improper storage could be immune to antibiotics which could put

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the world at danger. With this understanding of the disease through Jenner’s theory he

could transfer the knowledge and create a Bubonic Plague vaccine.

Towards the end of his Study Jenner came up with a third observation and a

major break through. He started to notice how over time the use of his vaccination

methods correlated with a rapid decrease in cases. Jenner explains “The decline, and,

finally, the total extinction nearly, of these pustules, in my opinion, are more fairly

attributable to the cow-pox virus, assimilating the variolous, the former probably being

the original, the latter the same disease under a peculiar, and at present an inexplicable,

modification.” (Jenner) This quote is not only a testimony to the success of his work on

the vaccine and the use of Cow Pox but it also gives us a glimpse into how a virus can

mutate and change over time. This shows concern for whether or not Jenner could do

the same heroic feet for Plague without adverse effects. If a new strain of bubonic

plague arose because it was tampered with in poorly executed vaccinations then the

result would be catastrophic. However Jenner is a skilled doctor and writes about the

advancement of the technology of how vaccinations are administered. Jenner speaks of

how one doctor uses something that resembles a sewing needle with a thread

containing the virus. If this kind of care was provided to the people who suffered from

the plague then lives could have been saved.

Through the help of his colleagues knowledge he was also able to better

conclude his findings. His friend Dr. Woodville’s last report says “Since the publication

of my reports of inoculations for the cow-pox, upwards of three hundred cases have

been under my care; and out of this number only thirty-nine had pustules that

suppurated; viz., out of the first hundred, nineteen had pustules; out of the second,

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thirteen; and out of the last hundred and ten, only seven had pustules. Thus it appears

that the disease has become considerably milder” (Jenner). Dr. Woodville’s words

demonstrate the regression of the disease which is a big milestone for Jenner. His

accomplishments and theory’s have been evaluated and put in conjunction with the

terrible events throughout our history known as the Plague.

The Plague had many emergences throughout history. If Jenner was around

when it first appeared he would be able to inoculate patients but have a very difficult

time creating the vaccine due to a lack of understanding of the plague at that time. The

nature of virus’s and bacteria also pose a problem for Jenner. These diseases, if not

handled properly, can become immune to whats fighting it which can sometimes be

more deadly then the original. The emergence of Plague that surfaced during the time

Jenner was working on his theory’s would have been a disease that he could handle.

Because of the time period, technology of the time, and knowledge of the disease

Jenner could have very likely created a vaccine for plague without causing adverse

effects.His friend and fellow doctor says “Society at large must, I think, feel much

indebted to you for your Inquiries and Observations on the Nature and Effects of the

Variolae Vaccinae” (Jenner). It is because of Edward Jenner that most of us can live

happy fulfilling lives today.

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Works Cited

Jenner, Edward. The Three Original Publications on Vaccination Against Smallpox. Vol. XXXVIII, Part 4. The Harvard Classics. New York: P.F. Collier & Son, 1909–14; Bartleby.com, 2001