Contents
Books
Vaccine : the controversial story of medicine’s greatest lifesaver /
by Allen, Arthur.
In this account of vaccination’s miraculous, inflammatory past and its uncertain future, journalist Arthur Allen reveals a history both illuminated with hope and shrouded by controversy–from Edward Jenner’s discovery of smallpox vaccine in 1796 to Pasteur’s vaccines for rabies and cholera, to those that safeguarded the children of the twentieth century, and finally to the tumult currently surrounding vaccination.
The eradication of smallpox : Edward Jenner and the first and only eradication of a human infectious disease /
by Bazin, H.
Simply, and with great humanity, The Eradication of Smallpox tells the story of smallpox – it’s origins, the horror of the disease, and the millions of people killed or disfigured by it. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it is estimated that one out of every ten people died from the disease; some say one out of every seven. Smallpox attacked very young children in particular. The story progresses with the practice of variolation, the life of Edward Jenner who first proposed ‘vaccination’ with cow pox vaccine (little James Phipps was the first person ever vaccinated in this way), the years of debate about the efficacy of this novel method, and the later worldwide initiatives to rid the planet of this horrific disease. In 1979, the story culminates in the only total eradication of an infectious disease that mankind has ever accomplished. This year celebrates the 20th anniversary of this momentous achievement. In the intervening years, debate has raged about what we should do with the remaining smallpox viral stocks. Do we destroy them, so they can’t fall into the hands of bioterrorists, or do we maintain them, in case they may be of use in some unexpected way, for therapeutic purposes? These questions are thoroughly discussed in the book.
Germ theory : medical pioneers in infectious diseases /
by Gaynes, Robert P.
From Hippocrates to Lillian Wald the stories of scientists whose work changed the way we think about and treat infection. Describes the genesis of the germ theory of disease by a dozen seminal thinkers such as Jenner, Lister, and Ehrlich. Presents the inside stories of these pioneers struggles to have their work accepted, which can inform strategies for tackling current crises in infectious diseases and motivate and support today’s scientists. Relevant to anyone interested in microbiology, infectious disease, or how medical discoveries shape our modern understanding. Includes chapter on Edward Jenner entitled “Edward Jenner and the Discovery of Vaccine”.
Journal Articles
Ainsworth, S. (2010). Vaccination: where it all began. Practice Nurse, 39(9), 33-34.
The article announces that year 2010 is the 30th anniversary of the worldwide eradication of smallpox and it also details the contributions of British scientists Edward Jenner to the development of vaccine against smallpox.
Bardell, D. (1996). Nestling cuckoos to vaccination–a commemoration of Edward Jenner. Bioscience, 46(11), 866.
Remembers the work of Edward Jenner in studying nestling cuckoos and the repercussions of his findings on the field of medicine. Biographical data; Details of his nestling cuckoo study; Other studies of nature he conducted; His discovery of vaccination; The success of his smallpox vaccination.
Henderson, D. A. (1997). Edward Jenner’s vaccine. (Cover story). Public Health Reports, 112(2), 116.
Presents an overview of the first vaccination of Edward Jenner, a doctor in May 1796. Pamphlet of Jenner on smallpox; Method used to protect from cowpox; Experiments of Jenner with vaccine; Objections to the introduction of vaccines; Cowpox vaccine discussed; Limitations of vaccine made by Jenner.
Levine, M. (1996). The legacy of Edward Jenner. BMJ: British Medical Journal (International Edition), 312(7040), 1177-1178.
Highlights the role of physician British physician Edward Jenner in the development of smallpox vaccine. Modern approaches to vaccine development; Testing of vaccines in clinical trials.