June 22nd 07, 01:48 AM
posted to misc.health.alternative,misc.kids.health,sci.med.immunology,talk.politics.medicine,uk.people.health
|
|
|
Smallpox vax 1880
Mark Thorson wrote:
Roman Bystrianyk wrote:
What you're referring to is variolation, which is infecting
someone with a weakened smallpox. Vaccination (from the Latin)
for cow is inoculating with cowpox to prevent smallpox.
Jenner thought he was using cowpox. However, it's
a great mystery just what the Vaccinia virus is.
It could be a modified smallpox virus, a modified
cowpox virus, a smallpox-cowpox hybrid, or a virus
distinct from both smallpox and cowpox. Nobody knows
where it came from. There may be a natural host
harboring the Vaccinia virus, but none has yet been
discovered.
I think the camelpox virus is most closely related to vaccinia.
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/con.../camelpox.html
|