The experiment on an 8-year-old boy was the source of the invention of the vaccine

The vaccine, since its discovery and use, has protected us from horrible diseases, seemingly impossible to cure, so this is one of the greatest discoveries of humanity.

However, little is known about the rather horrific experiment of finding vaccines, which happened 220 years ago, on May 14, 1976.

Did you know that Vaccine comes from the "Variolae vaccinae" , meaning cow's smallpox in Latin?

This word was given by British doctor Edward Jenner, to describe the phenomenon of people who have been infected with smallpox in cow (cowpox) before that will have resistance to smallpox (smallpox).

Dr. Edward Jenner.

Dr. Edward Jenner was not the first to discover the mechanism of vaccines , but his discovery laid the foundation for the field of immunology, repelling smallpox epidemic , one of the serious pandemics. most of humanity.

As a doctor working in smallpox raging with terrible levels everywhere, he found that there is often a story with repeating motifs in rural areas that these Cow milking farmers who get smallpox in cows (a disease that appears similar to smallpox, but lighter) will be able to resist smallpox.

From that story and the fact observed, Dr. Edward Jenner thinks about the possibility that smallpox infection in cows may not only protect someone from smallpox, the possibility of this resistance can be transmitted. from person to person.

To test his thoughts, this doctor did an experiment right on the living body, something that does not conform to today's medical ethical standards.

He vaccinated the cowpox ulcer from Sarah Nelms, a girl, to inject that fluid into the arm of a healthy 8-year-old boy. Never been infected by smallpox cow or smallpox before.

The boy immediately got sick, sick and fevered shortly afterwards. Nine days later, the disease struck him with a chill feeling all over his body, causing him to lose his appetite. But until the tenth day, the disease gradually changed, the symptoms gradually disappeared.

The trial found the smallpox vaccine.

Two months later, he took another test to face the "moment of truth" , injecting him with the fluid from the smallpox's ulcer.

As expected of the doctor, this boy was resistant to smallpox, never being infected again.

Readers still remember how scared of Tom cat before smallpox?

This experiment provides us with compelling evidence of providing resistance to a disease to the body by infecting a small, harmless dose of the pathogen, which is the principle. Basic activities of vaccines.

Although its implementation was quite horrible and not in line with the ethical standards of modern medicine, the discovery of the mechanism of the vaccine saved millions of millions of lives from horrible pandemics. Should such tests go against such standards? Until now people still questioned that. However, it is undeniable that the method of using vaccines to date is still the most effective way to prevent diseases.

And it comes from such a recklessness.