DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22471#0292
Six
iira&layan "iaes
MaLLPOX IN INDIA AND ITS PLANNED ERADICATION
DR. K. M, LAL.
Smallpox, which hai
i3en ravaging the coun-
ry for centuries, is one
f the major epidemio
iisease-s of India. Is is
ne of the infectious diaea-
ea that has shown a
omplste disregard of
aces, countries, age and
ex of the patient and
van sanitary surrouud-
ogs. The disease existed
n the Orient, particularly
n China, before the be-
ginning of the Christian
ira. It was carried to
Surope a^ early as the
ixth century, if not be-
ore. Its prtvalance yieatly
ucreased d'iringthe seven-
eentb century, reaching
ts greatest height during
he following one bund-
ed years.
An extent of the des-
ructiveneBS of smailuox
n those times can be got
rom old historical records
vhsr-jin it is stated that
ii England alone, nearly
15,000 persons used to
lie annually of smallpox.
Prince and Germany were
sq-ial sufferers: in Franoe
1754) ' every tenth death
yas due to smallpox and
m9 tenth of mankind
s-.is either killed by it
ir disfigured for life." In
Jerman speaking countries
,vsc 65,000 persons died
)f smallpox in 1796 and
in Prussia 40,009 succum-
bed annually to this
soourge. Smallpox was
during that peritd a ma-
jor killer of mankind
throughout the world.
Earlier records of our
own country for that
pericd are not available
but the magnitude of the
problem oan be assessed
by the following figures
of attacks and deaths in
India due to smallpox.
Year Attacks Deaths
1950 1.27,633 75.364
1951 1,67,406 1,47,694
19 i2 K7 049 35,757
19f3 33,834 21,856
1964 39,916 26,602
1955 26,282 23,485
1956 24,334 17.227
1957 1.04,058 42,482
1958 1,06,501 32,174
1959 46,115 11,596
1960 31,052 7,871
1961 44,537 12,312
The practice of vac-
cination was introduced
in 179S by the Euglish
physician. Dr. Edward
Jenner. and in that ye*r
he published his results
in his now famous ''En-
quiry into the Cahses and
Kffi-cts of tht" Variolae
Yacc.nce" and described
his olHSfic experiment of
1790 in which he vacci-
iiated rii right year old
boy with material taken
from & pustule on th
hand of Sarah Nelmea,
dairymaid, who had r<
ceived a cowpox infectio
from her master's eowi
The boy developed whs
is now known as a typ
cal 'take , and later, whe
Jenner inoculated hit
with true variolous mai
ter taksn directly from
smallpox pustule, no d
sease followed, and, afte
a Becond similar attcmpi
Jenner remarks, "no sej
sible effect was produce
on the constitution." H
demonstrated, therefor*
that cowpox naturally c
artificially transmitted t
man is in itself harmles
and affords protectio
against smallpox.
After this discover
Dr. Jenner was hailed i
the greatest benefactor i
humanity and the fin
vaccination in our countr
was performed on Jut
14, 1802, by Dr. Sco
in Bombay on an Angl*
Indian child, a^ed 3 year
Anna Dusthall,
""he problem of smti
pox -ad been occupyit
the attention of the Wor
Health Organization f*
some time and that Hod
at its FlevetitL Ar.ser
hiv in June. 195S, pae.K
a resolution which recor
mnnls to all m«rnb
governments expedillo'
measures to eradica
smallpox. In W H.O d
curoent dated Decern!)
lb. 19r.8, it is stated ifc
iira&layan "iaes
MaLLPOX IN INDIA AND ITS PLANNED ERADICATION
DR. K. M, LAL.
Smallpox, which hai
i3en ravaging the coun-
ry for centuries, is one
f the major epidemio
iisease-s of India. Is is
ne of the infectious diaea-
ea that has shown a
omplste disregard of
aces, countries, age and
ex of the patient and
van sanitary surrouud-
ogs. The disease existed
n the Orient, particularly
n China, before the be-
ginning of the Christian
ira. It was carried to
Surope a^ early as the
ixth century, if not be-
ore. Its prtvalance yieatly
ucreased d'iringthe seven-
eentb century, reaching
ts greatest height during
he following one bund-
ed years.
An extent of the des-
ructiveneBS of smailuox
n those times can be got
rom old historical records
vhsr-jin it is stated that
ii England alone, nearly
15,000 persons used to
lie annually of smallpox.
Prince and Germany were
sq-ial sufferers: in Franoe
1754) ' every tenth death
yas due to smallpox and
m9 tenth of mankind
s-.is either killed by it
ir disfigured for life." In
Jerman speaking countries
,vsc 65,000 persons died
)f smallpox in 1796 and
in Prussia 40,009 succum-
bed annually to this
soourge. Smallpox was
during that peritd a ma-
jor killer of mankind
throughout the world.
Earlier records of our
own country for that
pericd are not available
but the magnitude of the
problem oan be assessed
by the following figures
of attacks and deaths in
India due to smallpox.
Year Attacks Deaths
1950 1.27,633 75.364
1951 1,67,406 1,47,694
19 i2 K7 049 35,757
19f3 33,834 21,856
1964 39,916 26,602
1955 26,282 23,485
1956 24,334 17.227
1957 1.04,058 42,482
1958 1,06,501 32,174
1959 46,115 11,596
1960 31,052 7,871
1961 44,537 12,312
The practice of vac-
cination was introduced
in 179S by the Euglish
physician. Dr. Edward
Jenner. and in that ye*r
he published his results
in his now famous ''En-
quiry into the Cahses and
Kffi-cts of tht" Variolae
Yacc.nce" and described
his olHSfic experiment of
1790 in which he vacci-
iiated rii right year old
boy with material taken
from & pustule on th
hand of Sarah Nelmea,
dairymaid, who had r<
ceived a cowpox infectio
from her master's eowi
The boy developed whs
is now known as a typ
cal 'take , and later, whe
Jenner inoculated hit
with true variolous mai
ter taksn directly from
smallpox pustule, no d
sease followed, and, afte
a Becond similar attcmpi
Jenner remarks, "no sej
sible effect was produce
on the constitution." H
demonstrated, therefor*
that cowpox naturally c
artificially transmitted t
man is in itself harmles
and affords protectio
against smallpox.
After this discover
Dr. Jenner was hailed i
the greatest benefactor i
humanity and the fin
vaccination in our countr
was performed on Jut
14, 1802, by Dr. Sco
in Bombay on an Angl*
Indian child, a^ed 3 year
Anna Dusthall,
""he problem of smti
pox -ad been occupyit
the attention of the Wor
Health Organization f*
some time and that Hod
at its FlevetitL Ar.ser
hiv in June. 195S, pae.K
a resolution which recor
mnnls to all m«rnb
governments expedillo'
measures to eradica
smallpox. In W H.O d
curoent dated Decern!)
lb. 19r.8, it is stated ifc