Edward Jenner and the history of smallpox and vaccinationWhile Jenner's interest in the protective effects of cowpox began during his apprenticeship with George Harwicke, it was 1796 before he made the first step in the long process whereby smallpox, the scourge of mankind, would be totally eradicated. For many years, he had heard the tales that dairymaids were protected from smallpox naturally after having suffered from cowpox. Pondering this, Jenner concluded that cowpox not only protected against smallpox but also could be transmitted from one person to another as a deliberate mechanism of protection. In May 1796, Edward Jenner found a young dairymaid, Sarah Nelms, who had fresh cowpox lesions on her hands and arms (Figure (Figure33). On May 14, 1796, using matter from Nelms' lesions, he inoculated an 8-year-old boy, James Phipps. Subsequently, the boy developed mild fever and discomfort in the axillae. Nine days after the procedure he felt cold and had lost his appetite, but on the next day he was much better. In July 1796, Jenner inoculated the boy again, this time with matter from a fresh smallpox lesion. No disease developed, and Jenner concluded that protection was complete.
Yes, Edward Jenner himself was inoculated in 1757.. he was 8 years old. This was the earlier variolation technique with actual smallpox.. not the cowpox that was developed later by Jenner as a vaccine.. the history is here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1200696/
Sorry if I get things messed up. And I’m not concerned too much about the precise definition of vax vs innoc vs immun. Etc.
But Washington DID indeed get as much of the armies inoculated. May not have been Jenner’s but the point is it did happen and this smallpox immunity stuff was really percolating at that time.