42
Journal of the association of physicians of india • vol 63 • march, 2015
Edward Jenner - Father of Immunology
JV Paidhungat*
Edward Jenner Stamp French Territory of Afar &
Isas, 1973
Jenner with smallpox
virus 350 years of Royal
Society Stamp - GB, 2004
Edward Jenner millennium series Stamp
- GB, 1999
E
dward Jenner (1749-1823) an English
physician was born on May 17, 1749 in
Gloucestershire England. He is indirectly
responsible for introducing an entirely new
concept of preventive medicine. He is often
called “father of immunology”. His work saved
more lives than many.
Jenner’s father was vicar of Berkeley, so
he received a strong basic education. At the
age of 14 he was apprenticed for 7 years to
a surgeon, where he gained experience. In
1770 Jenner was the apprentice and pupil of
famous John Hunter—a man of boundless
curiosity and enthusiasm, (who experimented
on himself and contracted both gonorrhoea and
Syphilis). Hunter corresponded with Jenner
regularly and proposed him for Royal Society.
He remained his lifelong friend and adviser.
Returning to his native countryside by
1773, he became successful family doctor and
surgeon practicing on dedicated premises of
Berkeley. Later he was elected Fellow of the
Royal Society in 1788 following his careful
study of the previously misunderstood life
of the nested cuckoo with observation^
experiments and dissection.
Jenner’s great contribution to medical
science is his discovery of immunity to smallpox
conferred by comparatively mild cowpox from
which he developed the procedure called
vaccination (vacca-a cow).
*
Professor of Medicine, TN
Medical College and BYL Nair
Hospital, Mumbai
Jenner had taken an old country superstition
and proved that it had scientific accuracy.
Noting the common observation that milkmaids
were generally immune to small pox, Jenner
postulated that the pus in the blisters that
mifkmaids received from cowpox protected
them from small pox. He had the considered
courage to infect human with mild disease,
Spanish Balmis
expedition for vaccination
Stamp - Spain, 200*
Eradication of smallpox in
the world Stamp - United
Nation, 1978
to protect them from the terrible scourge. His
old teacher John Hunter who said, “Don’t
think, Try but be accurate”, encouraged him.
In all he investigated 27 cases and published
his findings in 1796 in his article “Inquiry into
the causes and Effects of Variola Vaccinae”.
Eventually, vaccination was accepted and
in 1840, the British government banned a
standard practice of variolation (the use of
smallpox to induce immunity), and provided
vaccination using cowpox free of charge. The
success of his discovery soon spread around
Europe. It was used en masse in the Spanish
Balmis Expedition, a three year long mission to
Americas, for Philippines, Macao, China, and
Saint Helena Island led by Dr. Francis Balmis
with the aim of giving thousands the smallpox
vaccine. The expedition was successful*(StampSpain). Jenner wrote “I don’t imagine, the
annals of history furnish an example so noble,
so extensive as this”
Honours and recognition poured in
-Parliament knighted him and rewarded
20,000-Pound Sterling, Oxford gave honorary
degree, the Czar of Russia gave him a gold ring.
N a p o l e o n o r d e r e d a me d a l s t r u c k t o
commemorate the discovery of vaccine and,
at Jenners request released English prisoners
captured during the war. Jenner died on Jan
24 1823.
Once a major killer throughout the
world, smallpox has now been eradicated.
World Health Organization declared global
eradication of smallpox on 8th May 1978. This
is one of the most brilliant accomplishments
in medical history in recent times and indeed
a historic milestone, which has been possible
due to principles advanced by Edward Jenner.