Edward Jenner
Edward Jenner (1749-1823)
Edward Jenner (pronunciation: /ˈɛdwərd ˈdʒɛnər/) was an English physician and scientist who is best known for developing the smallpox vaccine, the world's first vaccine. The terms "vaccine" and "vaccination" are derived from Variolae vaccinae (smallpox of the cow), the term devised by Jenner to denote cowpox. He used it in 1798 in the long title of his Inquiry into the Variolae vaccinae known as the Cow Pox, in which he described the protective effect of cowpox against smallpox.
Etymology
The name "Edward" is derived from the Old English elements "ead" (wealth, fortune) and "weard" (guard). "Jenner" is of English origin and is derived from the Middle English "Gennere", meaning engineer or maker. The term "vaccine" comes from the Latin "vaccinus", derived from "vacca" which means cow. This term was coined by Edward Jenner himself.
Early Life and Education
Edward Jenner was born on May 17, 1749, in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England. He was the eighth of nine children. His father, the Reverend Stephen Jenner, was the vicar of Berkeley, so Jenner received a strong basic education.
Medical Career
Jenner trained in Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire as an apprentice to Daniel Ludlow, a surgeon, for eight years from the age of 14. In 1770, he moved to London and became a student of John Hunter at St George's Hospital. Jenner was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1788, following his important research on the anatomy and physiology of the cuckoo.
Smallpox Vaccine
In 1796, Jenner carried out his now famous experiment on eight-year-old James Phipps. Jenner inserted pus taken from a cowpox pustule and inserted it into an incision on the boy's arm. He was testing his theory, drawn from the folklore of the countryside, that milkmaids who suffered the mild disease of cowpox never contracted smallpox, one of the greatest killers of the period, particularly among children. Jenner's experiment was successful.
Legacy
Jenner's discovery of the smallpox vaccine ultimately led to the eradication of smallpox in 1980 by the World Health Organization, and laid the foundation for contemporary discoveries in immunology.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Edward Jenner
- Wikipedia's article - Edward Jenner
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