In 1980, the World Health Organization declared smallpox eradicated — one of humanity's deadliest viruses eliminated. Most contemporary Americans know only vaguely of this disease; older individuals bear small round scars from vaccination, while routine immunization ceased in 1972.
Smallpox represented terror in its era. Highly contagious and horrifying in presentation, it killed without mercy and disfigured survivors with facial scarring or blindness. Understanding its historical impact challenges modern observers, accustomed to confidence that medical science will eventually solve disease.
Medical knowledge in the 18th century differed fundamentally from today. As Peter Shaw's 1738 text admitted, "The true cause of this distemper, is hitherto unknown." The concept of viruses didn't exist, though the word itself dated to the 17th century, derived from Latin meaning "slimy liquid" or "poison."
Treatment proved ineffective but persistent. Healers administered ipecac emetics, powdered crab claws, saltpeter, and various medicinal substances. Modern medicine acknowledges similarly: the CDC states "There is no proven treatment for smallpox disease."
Survival depended on prevention through inoculation — deliberately infecting healthy individuals with mild cases to build immunity. This practice reached Europe and America in the 1720s through Lady Worley Montague and Reverend Cotton Mather, who learned from his enslaved person Onesimus.
Preparation was mandatory and unpleasant: purging with rhubarb, induced vomiting, and sometimes bloodletting preceded the actual infection procedure. John Adams underwent inoculation in 1764, while Abigail Adams and their children experienced more severe cases in 1776, requiring repeated inoculations.
By the 1790s, vaccination emerged as superior. Edward Jenner discovered that cowpox exposure prevented smallpox without the discomfort of variolation. Widespread vaccination ultimately eliminated one of history's most feared diseases.