Description
Book SynopsisWhen smallpox inoculation entered western medical practice in 1721 it aroused considerable controversy. A broad-based cohort of enlightened Germans such as publishers, poets, pastors and elite women attempted to dispel the doubts and encourage the innovative procedure. Yet many parents remained fearful, and the contagiousness of inoculation also necessitated a new approach. National pride in the past defeat of bubonic plague aroused optimism that smallpox could be banished using a similar strategy. The arrival in 1800 of Jenner’s vaccine ended the debates by offering yet another promising new approach. Battling Smallpox before Vaccination explores the social and medical impacts of inoculation. It offers belated recognition for the valiant attempts of the many protagonists battling against the so-called ‘murdering angel’ before Edward Jenner’s discovery of vaccination. It provides a comprehensive description and penetrating analysis of the understanding and perception of smallpox, the propagation of pro-inoculation information, varied reactions to inoculation, and debates over the idealistic goal of eradicating smallpox.
Table of ContentsAuthor’s Note and Acknowledgements List of Figures Abbreviations Introduction 1 Realities, Myths, and Perceptions 1 Reality and Mythology of Smallpox 2 Inoculation Offers a New Approach 3 Perceptions of a Benevolent ‘Murdering Angel’ 2 The Ruling Class and the Nobility 1 Princes, and ‘Travelling Inoculators’ 2 High-Ranking Mothers 3 Successive Prussian Kings’ Strategies 4 The Rural Nobility 3 Academics and Medical Men 1 University Medical Schools 2 Physiki Lead the Way 3 Social-Class Considerations – Doctors Versus Surgeons 4 The Discourse in the Print Media 1 The Published Word Spreads News of the Innovation 2 Intellectuals, Doctors, and the Public Have Their Say 3 Regional Influences Come into Play 5 A Literary Focus on Women 1 Changing Sentiments in Depictions of Disfigurement 2 Poets and Writers Focus on Young Women 3 Real and Fictional Women as Inoculation Promoters 4 Women as Authors, and as Targets of Advice 6 Pastors and Peasants 1 The Problem of Smallpox in Rural Areas 2 Challenges for Country Pastors 3 Inoculation Makes Inroads 7 To Inoculate, or Aim to Eradicate Smallpox 1 Inoculation versus Containment Strategies 2 Two Campaigns Aiming to Eradicate Smallpox 3 Disputes over Prospects for Eradication Conclusion Appendix 1: German University Dissertations about Inoculation: 1720–1798 Appendix 2: Original German Publications about Inoculation: 1714–1800 Bibliography Index
