1796Reputable sourceWell documented
Jenner's smallpox vaccine
On the timeline · around 1796 ·
What happened
Edward Jenner showed that inoculation with cowpox protected against smallpox — coining "vaccine" from the Latin for cow.
Why it matters
The first vaccine, and the method that would eventually eradicate smallpox entirely.
Sources
- World Health Organization. A brief history of vaccination · Reputable source