[Ahban]

In the 1700s there was an English doctor, J. Edwards, who noticed that milkmaids never got smallpox. Cows had (have?) a similar disease called cowpox. He did not know why, but basically the exposure to cowpox immunized them from smallpox. He went so far as to take pus from a cowpox sore and stick it in a cut on a patient's arm. It worked, but he did not know why.

Time to visit a cattle ranch?

[realpatriot71]

Ahem . . . that was William Jenner, and I'm pretty sure most of your cows are all vaccinated. However, I suppose you can try whatever you want :-).

[Elenya]

Yes. Time to have a Pet-the-Smallpoxed-Cow Day.

[realpatriot71]

LOL - both wrong it was Edward Jenner