Literature Research On Smallpox Inoculation

Smallpox disease is a highly infectious disease caused by smallpox virus, and the mortality rate is high. Even survive, after healing, the body will leave ugly scar, even blindness. Smallpox has been popular around the world, a serious threat to human survival. In China, Zhouhou Beiji Fang finished in the Jin Dynasty had already recorded the smallpox, then this disease got popular widely and became serious epidemic. Our ancestors continuously explored the methods to prevent smallpox disease, and invented the Smallpox inoculation. The invention of Smallpox inoculation plays an significant role in the prevention of smallpox, is the pioneer of modern immunology, enlightens the invention of cowpox vaccination, and has made important contributions on the ultimate eradication of smallpox. With the help of ancient books database, such as Airusheng, Fangzhi and CATCMS, Using the basic method of Bibliography and History, On the basis of comprehensive summary of the related medical literatures and historical documents, combined with immunology, this paper is to explore the invention and development of Smallpox inoculation.1.The summary of documents about smallpox before Qing Dynasty. In terms of Zhouhou Beiji Fang and Zhubing Yuanhou Lun, before Tang Dynasty, people had described properly the symptoms and harm of smallpox, had preliminarily understood its prognosis, and had pointed out the notion that smallpox was caused by Smallpox toxic heat; In Song and Yuan Dynasty, people had been able to differentiate smallpox, chicken pox and measles, had indicated the notion that smallpox was caused by fetal toxin, had recognized its infectivity and suggested some methods to judge the prognosis; In Ming and Qing Dynasty, people had have clear understanding towards the immunity of smallpox, and pointed out that each individuals only would have smallpox disease once in their whole life time, and would have immunity to next infection after once infection. This indication had laid foundation for the invention of Smallpox inoculation. In Ming Dynasty, some physicians had put forwards suspicion to the notion that smallpox was caused by fetal toxin. In Qing Dynasty, Wang Qingren denied this notion. Moreover, physicians in Ming Dynasty had been able to accurately judge the prognosis of smallpox, and discriminate the condition of smallpox which provided technical support to choose smallpox. The analysis towards how ancients recognized smallpox indicated that the inventive notion and technical basis of Smallpox inoculation had existed in Ming Dynasty. How the physicians in Qing Dynasty recognized the smallpox created the conditions for further promotion of smallpox inoculation.2. The summary of several points of views about when and where Smallpox inoculation originated. According to the analysis towards documents, there is no literature evidence for the statement that Smallpox inoculation was invented by Taoist in Mount Emei, Sichuan Province, Northern Song Dynasty. In the light of the exploration to the early meaning of vaccination, the meaning of vaccination in the middle period of Ming Dynasty was suffering from smallpox, not artificial immunity. There is not enough evidence for the assumption that vaccination was invented in 1522 based on the term of vaccination recorded in Shaogu Ji. The accurate record of Smallpox inoculation was in Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The Wangshan Tangwen Ji in Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty firstly recorded that susceptible population broadly accepted Smallpox inoculation.3. The propagation of Smallpox inoculation. Sort out various regions Literature of Smallpox inoculation, find out that Smallpox inoculation firstly took place in Anhui Province, Jiangxi, Hunan, Zhejiang, Guangdong, then spread to Jiangsu, Beijing, Manchuria and Mongolia, Fujian, etc. As the documents about Smallpox inoculation in the early Qing Dynasty recorded, Smallpox inoculation spread in multiple places, which was arranged according to time. The outcome was the map of how Smallpox inoculation spread.4. The summary of the methods of Smallpox inoculation. On the basis of the particular summary to the system of Smallpox inoculation, including differentiation, selection, storage, propagation, etc., it is indicated that after the middle Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, Smallpox inoculation have formed a set of relatively complete technical system.5. According to the analysis towards the safety of Smallpox inoculation recorded on documents, it is suggested that the success ratio in early stage was lower than that in later stage. The success ratio for experienced physicians was close to 100% with good safety till the middle and later Qing Dynasty. Analyze and discuss the failures about the literature on Smallpox inoculation. Discuss about Qing Dynasty physicians attitude and cognition of Smallpox inoculation. Point out that although early period there were few physicians against Smallpox inoculation, lots of physicians approved Smallpox inoculation. Physicians summed up the benefits of Smallpox inoculation, noted that choose good physical condition of children, Suitable climate, low toxicity vaccine and then to manual intervention. Much safer than suffering from smallpox. Even if there are failures, also belong to doctors improper operation, for example, incorrect selection of Smallpox, and should not blame it for the inoculation methods. It reached a very high level of awareness.6. Brief description of the propagation of Smallpox inoculation in Europe, America and Asia, and it was necessary that Smallpox inoculation was substituted after cowpox vaccination was introduced into China.