Edward Jenner

Date of Birth: May 17, 1749

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Date of Death: January 26, 1823

Biography

Edward Jenner was an English physician and scientist who is best known for his pioneering work in developing the smallpox vaccine, the world’s first successful vaccine. Born in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England, Jenner was the eighth of nine children in a family of modest means. He was orphaned at a young age and raised by his older brother. Jenner’s interest in medicine began early, and he was apprenticed to a local surgeon at the age of 14. He later studied at St George’s Hospital in London under the prominent surgeon John Hunter. In 1796, Jenner conducted his famous experiment by inoculating James Phipps, an 8-year-old boy, with material taken from a cowpox sore on the hand of milkmaid Sarah Nelmes. Jenner hypothesized that exposure to cowpox would protect a person from smallpox, a theory that proved to be correct. His work laid the foundation for modern immunology and has saved countless lives over the centuries. Jenner faced considerable skepticism and opposition from the medical community of his time, but his findings were eventually accepted and led to the widespread adoption of vaccination. In recognition of his contributions, Jenner received numerous honors and awards, including grants from the British government to continue his research. He spent his later years continuing his medical practice and scientific studies in Berkeley, where he passed away in 1823.

5 Interesting Facts about Edward Jenner

1. Edward Jenner is often referred to as the “Father of Immunology.”

2. He received a special grant of £10,000 from the British government in 1802 to further his research on vaccination.

3. Jenner’s work on vaccination ultimately led to the eradication of smallpox, which was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1980.

4. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1789 for his earlier work on the cuckoo bird.

5. Jenner’s method of vaccination was initially met with resistance and controversy from the medical community and the public.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Edward Jenner

1. “The deviation of man from the state in which he was originally placed by nature seems to have proved to him a prolific source of diseases.”

2. “I shall endeavor still further to prosecute this inquiry, an inquiry I trust not merely speculative, but of sufficient moment to inspire the pleasing hope of its becoming essentially beneficial to mankind.”

3. “I hope that some day the practice of producing cowpox in human beings will spread over the world.”

4. “It now becomes too manifest to admit of controversy, that the annihilation of the smallpox, the most dreadful scourge of the human species, must be the final result of this practice.”

5. “The science of medicine is a field in which the labor of man may be rewarded with the most splendid rewards.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Edward Jenner’s net worth is not well-documented in historical records. However, he received significant financial support from the British government, including a grant of £10,000 in 1802 and an additional £20,000 in 1807 for his contributions to medical science.

Children

Edward Jenner had three children with his wife, Catherine Kingscote. Their names were Edward Robert Jenner, Catherine Jenner, and Robert Fitzherbert Jenner.