Question

What was the most successful way of combating smallpox before the discovery of vaccination?

1) Inoculation
2) Vaccination
3) Isolation
4) Medication

Answer 1

Inoculation or variolation was the most effective pre-vaccination method for combating smallpox. It involved introducing material from smallpox lesions into healthy individuals, creating a milder infection that provided immunity. Vaccination later improved this approach by using cowpox material.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most successful method of combating smallpox before the discovery of vaccination was inoculation, also known as variolation. This practice originated in China around the 10th century and involved introducing infectious material from smallpox scabs or pustules into a healthy person's body, usually resulting in a milder form of the disease and providing immunity against more severe future infections. The process of vaccination, developed by Englishman Edward Jenner in the late 18th century, was an advancement of this concept, using infectious materials from cowpox lesions to immunize patients against smallpox, thus establishing a safer and more effective means of disease prevention.