Discover how Edward Jenner's curiosity and courage led to the first vaccine and changed the world forever.

[ti:A World Plagued by Smallpox]
[ar:Chunks]
[00:00.20]In the late 1700s, smallpox was one of the deadliest diseases on earth.
[00:05.90]It did not care if you were rich or poor, young or old.
[00:09.86]Entire communities lived in fear of the next outbreak.
[00:13.44]Hospitals were full and doctors struggled to help patients suffering from high fevers and terrible rashes.
[00:21.24]In towns across England, people wore scars from the disease as grim reminders of its power.
[00:27.42]Some survivors lost their eyesight and many more lost their lives.
[00:31.90]The world yearned for a solution but none seemed in sight.
[00:36.36]Into this troubled world was born Edward Jenner in 1749, a country doctor with a curious mind.
[00:44.00]As a boy, Jenner watched as smallpox swept through his village, taking friends and family.
[00:50.94]The fear and sadness he witnessed would shape his life's work.
[00:54.84]He was determined to find a way to protect people from this terrible illness.
[00:59.02]His story begins in a world desperate for hope, setting the scene for a discovery that would change medicine forever.


In the late 1700s, smallpox was one of the deadliest diseases on Earth. It did not care if you were rich or poor, young or old. Entire communities lived in fear of the next outbreak. Hospitals were full, and doctors struggled to help patients suffering from high fevers and terrible rashes. In towns across England, people wore scars from the disease as grim reminders of its power. Some survivors lost their eyesight; many more lost their lives. The world yearned for a solution, but none seemed in sight. Into this troubled world was born Edward Jenner in 1749, a country doctor with a curious mind. As a boy, Jenner watched as smallpox swept through his village, taking friends and family. The fear and sadness he witnessed would shape his life's work. He was determined to find a way to protect people from this terrible illness. His story begins in a world desperate for hope, setting the scene for a discovery that would change medicine forever.

Edward Jenner and Vaccines

A World Plagued by Smallpox