Question

Because Edward Jenner realized milkmaids who had contracted cowpox (virus that had mild disease symptoms compared to smallpox), were not susceptible to smallpox, this led to what?

Answer 1

Edward Jenner observed that milkmaids who had contracted cowpox (milder disease) were immune to smallpox. This led to the development of vaccination, where exposure to a related but less virulent pathogen could provide immune protection against a more virulent pathogen.

Step-by-step explanation:

Edward Jenner observed that milkmaids who developed cowpox, a disease similar to smallpox but milder, were immune to smallpox. Based on this observation, Jenner hypothesized that exposure to cowpox, a less virulent pathogen, could provide immune protection against smallpox.

To test his hypothesis, Jenner injected infectious samples from a milkmaid's cowpox lesion into a boy, who later did not contract smallpox when exposed to smallpox lesions. This led to the development of vaccination, where exposure to a related pathogen can provide immunity against a more virulent pathogen.