Fifteen people died in Plano, Texas in 1895, even though a smallpox vaccine was available at the time that could have prevented this and most other smallpox outbreaks and epidemics. Tragically, the fight against its use mirrors much of what we see in today’s anti-vaccine movement.
All vaccines are safe and effective, but if you had to rank them, the original smallpox vaccine would be the most dangerous because it has the most side effects.
Edward Jenner (1749 – 1823) was a doctor in England who is well known for discovering a vaccine against smallpox.
In the pre-vaccine era, quarantines were the only way to try and help stop many diseases from spreading in the community.
