Variolation: The Earliest Smallpox Vaccines

The idea of intentionally inoculating healthy people to protect them against smallpox
dates back to China in the sixth century. Chinese physicians ground dried scabs from
smallpox victims along with musk and applied the mixture to the noses of healthy
people.
In India, healthy people protected themselves by sleeping next to smallpox victims or
wearing infected peoples' shirts. In Africa and the Near East, matter taken from the
smallpox pustules raised lesions on the skin containing pus of mild cases was
inoculated through a scratch in an arm or vein. The goal was to cause a mild infection
of smallpox and stimulate an immune response that would give the person immunity
from the natural infection. This process was called variolation. Unfortunately, the
amount of virus used would vary and some would contract smallpox from the
inoculation and die. Nonetheless, this preventive approach became popular in China
and SouthEast Asia. Knowledge of the treatment spread to India, where European
traders first saw it.
An Englishwoman, Lady Mary Wortly Montagu, was responsible for introducing
variolation to England. In 1717, while accompanying her husband, the British
ambassador to Turkey, in Constantinople she came across the ancient Turk practice of
inoculating children with smallpox matter.
Initially horrified at this seemingly savage practice, she learned that a child was
protected from the ravages of smallpox through this process. She then had her six-
year-old son inoculated while in Turkey, and in 1721, in the presence of Royal Society
Members, she had her daughter inoculated. This led to adoption of variolation, mainly
by the aristocracy in England and Central Europe. Before long, variolation to prevent
smallpox was widespread. During America's War of Independence, George
Washington had his army treated in this way. Napoleon did the same with his army
before they invaded Egypt.
Variolation is the inoculation of matter taken from the smallpox pustules of mild cases
through a scratch in an arm or vein. Used by people in the past, the goal was to cause
a mild infection of smallpox and stimulate an immune response that would give the
person immunity from the natural infection.