Smallpox and the first Vaccine

In the Early1600's and 1700's, people were inoculated with smallpox

with the hope that they would get a less deathly form of the disease.

Watch the video below to see how it was done.

 

 

Then, Dr. Edward Jenner discovered that the less deadly cowpox virus could be used in place of

smallpox and still provide immunity to smallpox. This became the first vaccine.

 

Conquiring Smallpox

The Smallpox Epidemic of 1862

In class today we explored the terrible Smallpox epidemic of 1862 that started in Victoria and was carried all the way up the coast to Haida Gwaii and Fort Simpson (now Lax Kw'alaams). Smallpox killed  half of the First Nations People in the area. To Read the full story, ready the document attached from Persistance and Change, pages 94-96.

 

click here to download the PDF