Pioneers in The Field of Human Immunology

cience History History of Human Immunology
Edward Jenner and

the First Vaccine
Pioneers in the Field of Human Immunology
The first vaccine consisted of a scab placed in a small cut in the arm of
Jenner's subjects! It may have been kind of gross, but it worked to
prevent them from becoming ill with deadly smallpox.
Edward Jenner and the First Vaccine (1790s)
The Dreaded Smallpox
Edward Jenner’s legacy was a vaccination for smallpox; a disease

greatly feared during his lifetime. Smallpox killed a third of those who
caught it and the individuals who did survive were often badly
disfigured.
Old Wives Tales of Immunity
Jenner was a physician who practiced in the rural English countryside.

Being a country doctor, he was familiar with the region’s medical “old
wives tales,” one of which was that milkmaids who had caught cowpox
never became infected with the more serous smallpox.
Cowpox and Smallpox
Cowpox was a mild disease evidenced by discomfort, aching, pustules,

some swelling; symptoms that only lasted a few days.
In contrast, smallpox was a very serious disease that

resulted in massive disfigurement, sometimes blindness, and often
death.
Jenner’s First ‘Vaccine’
Early Germ Theory
of Disease
History of Microbiology - Contributions of Leeuwenhoek, Semmelweis & Snow
Germ Theory is the concept that microorganisms can cause disease,

and this theory is the foundation of modern medicine. Here is a
summary of some key discoveries.
The refutation of spontaneous generation was essential in the

development of Germ Theory; the understanding of infectious disease.
Spontaneous generation, or abiogenesis is the idea that, in modern
times, living things can arise from non-living matter, a violation of cell
theory.
Aristotle and Spontaneous Generation
Aristotle was one of the first to record his conclusions on the possible
routes to life. He saw beings as arising in one of three ways, from
sexual reproduction, asexual reproduction or nonliving matter.
According to Aristotle, it was readily observable that aphids arise from

the dew on plants, fleas from putrid matter, and mice from dirty hay;
and this belief remained unchallenged for more than two thousand
years.
What was actually being observed was the appearance of visible

organisms or populations of organisms which arose from microscopic
precursors, not spontaneous generation. For example it only takes one
bacterial cell to, in a matter of days, give rise to millions of daughter
cells, or minute aphid eggs to quickly give rise to visible adult aphids.
Important Early Microbiologists
There were many involved in the triumph of Germ Theory, but here is
a summary of some of the key players. Those italicized are covered in
this article.
* van Leeuwenhoek, Anton (1670s)

* Semmelweis, Ignaz (1840s)
* Snow, John (1850s)
* Pasteur, Louis (1860s)
* Lister, Joseph (1860s)
* Koch, Robert (1870s)
* Domagk, Gerhard & Fleming, Alexander (1920s & 1930s)
Anthony van Leeuwenhoek’s “Animalcules” (1670s)
During his life, Leeuwenhoek assembled more than 250 microscopes,

some of which magnified objects 270 times. Through magnification, he
discovered presence of “micro” organisms--organisms so tiny that they
were invisible to the naked eye. He called these tiny living things
“animalcules,” and was the first to describe many microbes and
microscopic structures, including bacteria, protozoans and human
cells.
Ignaz Semmelweiss and Puerperal Fever (1840s)
Semmelweis, and Austrian physician noticed death rates were higher

in maternity wards staffed by medical students than in those attended
by midwives, and that death rates also went down in summer, when
medical students on vacation. Many of these deaths were the result of
puerperal (pyoor-peral) fever, a lethal condition in women occurring in
the period following delivery.
His investigation of the connection revealed that medical students

were coming directly from autopsy to maternity wards without washing
their hands. When students were required to wash hands in solution of
chlorine before entering maternity ward, and between patients,
number of infections and deaths were dramatically reduced.
John Snow’s Investigation of Cholera (1855)
Although Snow, an anesthesiologist and pioneer of the science of

epidemiology, had recently published a report speculating that cholera
was spread by contaminated water, the paper did not receive
meaningful attention and cholera rampaged through the industrial
cities of Europe, killing tens of thousands.
On the night of August 31st, 1854 a violent outbreak

occurred in London and within three days 127 people living in or
around Broad Street died. By the 10th of September, the number of
fatalities had reached 500.
Snow’s previous research had convinced him that cholera was spread
by a poison passed from victim to victim through sewage-tainted
water. When he mapped the occurrence of cholera cases in the area,
he found that they centered around a specific public water supply, the
Broad Street Pump.
Though they were reluctant to believe him, area administrators agreed

to temporarily dismantle the pump, and when they did, the spread of
cholera dramatically stopped.
For more information on the History of Microbiology and Germ Theory,

see the Science Prof Online article Late Germ Theory of Disease.
Sources
Bauman, R. (2005) Microbiology.

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cience History History of Human Immunology

Edward Jenner and

Pioneers in the Field of Human Immunology

Edward Jenner and the First Vaccine (1790s)

The Dreaded Smallpox

Edward Jenner’s legacy was a vaccination for smallpox; a disease

Old Wives Tales of Immunity

Jenner was a physician who practiced in the rural English countryside.

Cowpox and Smallpox

Cowpox was a mild disease evidenced by discomfort, aching, pustules,

In contrast, smallpox was a very serious disease that

Jenner’s First ‘Vaccine’

Early Germ Theory

History of Microbiology - Contributions of Leeuwenhoek, Semmelweis & Snow

Germ Theory is the concept that microorganisms can cause disease,

The refutation of spontaneous generation was essential in the

According to Aristotle, it was readily observable that aphids arise from

What was actually being observed was the appearance of visible

Important Early Microbiologists

* van Leeuwenhoek, Anton (1670s)

During his life, Leeuwenhoek assembled more than 250 microscopes,

Ignaz Semmelweiss and Puerperal Fever (1840s)

Semmelweis, and Austrian physician noticed death rates were higher

His investigation of the connection revealed that medical students

John Snow’s Investigation of Cholera (1855)

Although Snow, an anesthesiologist and pioneer of the science of

On the night of August 31st, 1854 a violent outbreak

Though they were reluctant to believe him, area administrators agreed

For more information on the History of Microbiology and Germ Theory,

Bauman, R. (2005) Microbiology.

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