When you think of deadly diseases, you probably think of the Bubonic Plague, however, there is another disease even more deadly. Smallpox has been killing unhindered* for nearly 3,000 years.
Smallpox originated in northern Africa about 10,000 years ago. It slowly spread to the Middle East, and then to Asia, then to Europe, and then finally to the New World.
In 1519, Hernán Cortés landed in what is now known as Central America. Unfortunately for the Aztecs who were living in that regions, one of the men travelling with Cortés had smallpox. Within about 50 years, the Aztec population had dropped by 90%
By the 17th and 18th centuries, smallpox was killing 1/7 Russian children and over 400,000 Europeans (children and adults) every year. Edward Jenner was an English physician and scientist, who noticed the fact that dairy maids rarely if ever contract smallpox after being infected with cowpox. As other people had already thought of the idea of giving children small amounts of a disease to make them immune, that isn't what Jenner is famous for. What he did which was different from the norms, was to infect children with cowpox, to immunise them against smallpox. This relatively simple idea had far-reaching effects, and Jenner is often called the father of vaccines.
In 1980, WHO (World Health Organisation) announced that smallpox was officially eradicated, meaning that no-one would ever be infected again. Since then, another disease has been eradicated thanks to vaccines; Rinderpest. As well as these two, there are many more on the way. Poliomyelitis (polio), Dracunculiasis, Yaws, Malaria, Hookworm, Lymphatic filariasis, and Measles are all on their way to being eradicated.
ESTÁS LEYENDO
Historical Facts About Stuff
Non-FictionFrom Ancient Greece, to smallpox, to the first world war, and back to Ancient Rome, this book will guide you through the murky depths of history.
