From variolation to vaccines: a short history of a medical triumph – The Guardian

As the Covid-19 vaccine is rolled out, various politicians have volunteered to be injected with it live on TV, which might add to the gaiety of the nation as we celebrate this triumph of international science. Meanwhile let us remember that the word vaccine itself from vacca, Latin for cow encodes a triumphant moment in medical history.
The earliest method of inducing immunity against smallpox was called variolation (from Latin variola, pox or pustules), and involved snorting powdered smallpox scabs,…

Click here to view the original article.