Edward Jenner: biography, photos and achievements

Smallpox is one of the oldest and most dangerous diseases. People who contract this disease died. The number of victims was estimated not by thousands, but reached to millions. The course of the disease is very difficult, the patient suffers from a fever, his body is covered with purulent bubbles. Those who had the good fortune to survive, it was not easy: many lost sight, the scars covered the body. The doctor Edward Jenner became a man who saved the world from this disease. He was the first to offer vaccination.

Edward Jenner. short biography

In May 1749 in England, in the town of Berkeley, a priest named Jenner was born to 3 children, he was given the name Edward. The desire to follow in the footsteps of his father and to be a clergyman of the young man was not. Therefore, from the age of 12, he began to study medicine, studied with a surgeon.

After a while, he began to study the human anatomy and began to practice at the hospital.

In 1770, the young man moved to London, where he was able to complete medical education. He worked under the guidance of a famous surgeon and anatomist, who helped him to master brilliantly all the subtleties of surgery. The young man was interested not only in medicine, but also in natural science and natural science.

Edward Jenner in 1792 received a medical degree, which he was awarded at the University of St. Andrew.

At the age of 32 he was already known as a competent surgeon. His greatest achievement is the invention of a vaccine, which creates immunity to smallpox.

It can not be said that he invented the vaccine itself, because the practice of vaccinating smallpox from a sick person was healthy even before that. The procedure was called "variolation," it was not always successful: often people after variolation seriously fell ill. Edward himself in childhood was vaccinated in this way and suffered from the consequences for a long time.

Aroused interest in this direction to work in this direction the primitive belief of uneducated people that if they were sick with cowpox, then the disease that affects people is no longer terrible.

He experimentally, based on his intuition, proved that the peasants were not mistaken. The work absorbed him, he devoted research all his time.

In 1796, Edward Jenner, whose photo is presented in the article, instilled a boy of eight years with a substance that he took from pustules of cowpox.

The experiment was successful, the scientist continued his work.

In 1823, the scientist died.

World Recognition

The scientist scrupulously investigated the results of his experiments and later presented them in a pamphlet published in 1798. In time, 5 more works on vaccination were written. The aim of the scientist's work was to spread knowledge about vaccination and to teach how to conduct it.

The great cause of the learned doctor was universally recognized. He became an honorary member of many scientific societies in Europe.

In 1840, in Britain, variolation was banned. In 1853 vaccination with cowpox became a mandatory procedure for all.

Honorary posts

In 1803, the Institute for Immunization was founded, which is also called the Jenner Institute and the Royal Jenner Society. For his services to the world Edward Jenner was appointed the first head of the institute. This post was for him for life.

In 1806, the scientist received an award from the government - 10 thousand sterling, in 1808 another, which was equal to 20 thousand sterling.

In 1813, Jenner was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine, it was in Oxford. The scientist was named an honorary citizen of London, he was awarded a diploma decorated with diamonds.

The Russian empress Maria Feodorovna, who at that time headed the Office of the Empress Maria, who was the patron of all scientific medical and medical institutions, sent Jenner a thank-you letter and a precious ring.

In honor of the great scientist of that time, a medal was struck out, with the inscription "Jenner" on it.

The essence of the experiment of the scientist

Edward Anthony Jenner hesitated for a long time before conducting an approbation of his theory. On his own experience he could not, because in childhood he had had smallpox after an unsuccessful variolation.

The scientist was constantly tormented by doubts whether he was confident in his theory enough to risk someone's life.

When peasant Nelmes fell ill with cowpox, then she had bubbles on her skin. Jenner ventured and injected the contents of one bubble to the eight-year-old James Phipps. He was at great risk, since the fact that the boy had recovered from cowpox was not enough. To confirm the theory, it was necessary to infect it with black pox.

Edward realized that if the boy dies, he will not be alive either.

After the child recovered from the cow, the scientist introduced him human smallpox. Despite the fact that on both hands of the patient cuts were made and the matter with poison was thoroughly wiped off, there was no reaction. This meant that the experiment was successful: thanks to Jenner, Phipps became immune to smallpox, which is one of the gravest diseases. Although a child, he did not realize the gravity and responsibility of the situation.

The scientist was very attached to James, he loved him as his own son. On the day of the 20th anniversary of the publication of information about the experiment, the scientist gave Phipps a house with a garden in which he planted many flowers.

The origin of the name "vaccination"

Vaccination, created by a scientist, was called vaccination, because "vaccine" in Latin means "cow". The term has become so firmly established that today any vaccination that is performed for preventive purposes is called this word. Literally it can be translated as "korovizatsiya", but this does not mean that the vaccine is prepared using antibodies of this particular animal. In the case of rabies, for example, it is prepared from the brain of an infected rabbit. And in the case of typhus - from the lung tissue of mice.

Jenner's opponents

Despite all the greatness of the discovery, it was just the beginning of a thorny path. The scientist had to endure misunderstanding, persecution. Even his contemporaries did not understand him and asked the scientist not to compromise his scientific reputation. Even when he was at the beginning of the journey, he often shared his thoughts with colleagues, as he was a sociable person. But no one shared his interests.

His book, which showed the results of research over the past 25 years of Jenner's life, he published at his own expense.

Edward Jenner and his followers were not immediately well received, after he published his book, he had to endure a lot of bites in his address. The main argument of opponents of vaccination was that in this way they go against the will of God. In the newspapers, caricatures were printed on which horns and wool grew in people who had been vaccinated.

But the disease was coming, and more people were rushing to try to protect Jenner from her.

In the late 18th century, vaccination was used in the English navy and in the army.

Napoleon Bonaparte ordered all French soldiers to be vaccinated. In Sicily, where he arrived with the vaccine, the population was so happy to be saved from the illness, which was arranged by the procession.

Method of prevention. English doctor Edward Jenner

Smallpox is one of the most dangerous diseases. Along with it there is yellow fever, plague, cholera. The virus is transmitted by airborne droplets, through objects. It penetrates the epithelium, because of this, the skin forms bubbles. Immunity of the patient is reduced, so begins the suppuration of the vesicles, which turn into purulent wounds. If the patient survives, there will be scars in place of the ulcers.

Edward Jenner is the founder of the vaccination, the one who made it possible to protect himself from the threat of getting sick. Thanks to the work of the scientist, smallpox became the first disease to be defeated through vaccination.

1977 the last case of a smallpox disease is dated. WHO in May 1980 proclaimed victory over the disease around the world. To date, the smallpox virus has remained only in well-protected laboratories.

The smallpox virus is protected from terrorists. If he is kidnapped, the consequences will be horrendous, since antibiotics do not apply to him, and vaccines have not been vaccinated for a long time.

Monument to the doctor

One-sixth of all the sick died of smallpox, if this involved small children, then the death rate was 1/3. Therefore, the gratitude to the scientist was indescribable.

Edward Jenner, whose biography is known to many today, is considered the father of immunology. In honor of him in Kensington Gardens in a picturesque corner, which is called "Italian Gardens", stands a monument. It was delivered in 1862. The tablet, which tells about the merits of the scientist, was embroidered in the pavement in 1996.

Many now do not realize the full significance of the discovery of the scientist. According to experts, this man has saved as many human lives as no one else.

The name of the scientist is named streets, branches in hospitals, towns and villages. In the house, where used to work, a museum was opened.

William Calder Marshall worked on the monument to the scientist. Initially, he was in Trafalgar Square, but four years later he was moved to the park because of protests from people who opposed vaccinations.

To date , doctors and scientists have organized a campaign that attempts to return the monument to the square. According to experts, people protesting against vaccinations simply do not know the whole horror of diseases such as black pox.

Personal life

The scientist married in 1788, bought a farm in Berkeley. His wife was in poor health, so the family spent the summer at Cheltenham Spa. The doctor had a great practice. He had 3 children.

Other discoveries of the scientist

Most of his life, the scientist devoted to the development of smallpox vaccine. Despite this, he also had time to deal with other diseases. He owns the discovery that the angina pectoris is an ailment that affects the coronary arteries. From the coronary arteries depends the supply of blood to the heart muscle.